title: Radiation risk assessment in professionals working in dental radiology area using buccal micronucleus cytome assay.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of micronuclei (MN) in buccal mucosal cells of professionals working in radiology area to determine the risk of stochastic effects of radiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  All the professionals and students working in King Khalid University - College of Dentistry radiology area were included in the Risk Group (RG = 27). The Control Group (CG = 27) comprised of healthy individual matching the gender and age of the RG. Buccal mucosal scraping from all the 54 subjects of RG and CG were stained with Papanicolaou stain and observed under oil immersion lens (×100) for the presence of micronuclei (MN) in the exfoliated epithelial cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between the incidence of MN in RG and CG (p = >0.05) using t-test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine radiation protection protocol does minimize the risk of radiation induced cytotoxicity, however, screening of professionals should be carried out at regular intervals.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University Abha, Saudi Arabia, Phone: 00966502584456, e-mail: dr.sadat@ hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Syed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sadatullah
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University Abha, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ali Azhar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Dawasaz
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Khalid University Abha, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Master
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luqman
authors.affiliation: Demonstrator, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, College of Dentistry University of Najran, Najran, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ali A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Assiry
authors.affiliation: Demonstrator, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Division of Maxillofacial Radiology, College of Dentistry, University of Najran Najran, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Almeshari
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Preventive Dental Sciences College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Rafi Ahmad
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Togoo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D003815:Dentists; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods; D011871:Radiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012575:Schools, Dental; D013335:Students, Dental; D055815:Young Adult