Cataracts
- Most Quoted Radiation induced Cataract exposure study.
- Finding that 52% of cardiologists and 45% of the nurses developed posterior lens opacities, compared with 9% of the controls.
Ciraj-Bjelac et al. Risk for Radiation-Induced Cataract for Staff in interventional Cardiology: Is There Reason for Concern? Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions 76:826-634 (2010).
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Cataracts
- Skin lesions, orthopedic illness, cataract, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia were all significantly higher in exposed versus non-exposed group, with a clear gradient unfavorable for physicians over technicians and nurses and for longer history of work (>16 years).
- In highly exposed physicians, adjusted odds ratio ranged from 1.7 for hypertension, 2.9 for hypercholesterolemia, 4.5 for cancer, to 9 for cataract.
Andreassi MG and Picano E et al. Occupational Health Risks in Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Workers; on behalf of the Healthy Cath Lab Study Group*. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2016;9: e003273. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.115.003273.
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Cancer: Lymphoma, Brain Tumors and Other
- 85% of CNS tumors in IC are left sided as opposed to a 50/50 split in general population.
Roguin A, et al. Brain and neck tumors among physicians performing interventional procedures. Am J Cardiol. 2013 May 1; 111(9): 1368-1372.
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Cancer: Lymphoma, Brain Tumors and Other
- Exposure to less than 100 mSv increases risk of CNS tumors4 (5 Year ICRP limit).
Preston DL, Ron E, Yonehara S, et al. Tumors of the nervous system and pituitary gland associated with atomic bomb radiation exposure. J Natl Cancer inst 2002; 94:1555–1563.
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Cancer: Lymphoma, Brain Tumors and Other
- Review Article: Operators get a 500 mSv lifetime brain equivalent. 5% Ca risk.
- Results: …The head doses involved in radiotherapy are high, usually above 2 Sv, whereas the low-dose range of professional exposure typically involves lifetime cumulative whole-body exposure in the low-dose range of < 200 mSv, but with head exposure which may (in absence of protection) arrive at a head equivalent dose of 1 to 3 Sv after a professional lifetime (corresponding to a brain equivalent dose around 500 mSv).
Picano et al. Cancer and non-cancer brain and eye effects of chronic low-dose ionizing radiation Exposure. BMC Cancer 2012, 12:157.
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Vascular, Neurovascular,Genetic and Cognitive Deficit Effects
- Radiation produces a decline in left sided cognitive function in ICs within 5 years.
- … comparing neuropsychological test scores in 83 (exposed group, EG) working in the cardiac catheterization laboratory, and 83 control participants… explore possible cognitive impairments.
- …EG participants showed significantly lower scores on the delayed recall, visual short-term memory, and semantic lexical access ability than the nEG ones. No dose response could be detected. EG participants showed lower memory and verbal fluency performances, as compared with nEG.
Marazziti D, Tomaiuolo F, Dell’Osso L, Demi V, et al. Neuropsychological testing in interventional cardiology staff after long-term exposure to ionizing radiation. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2015; 21:670-9.
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Vascular, Neurovascular,Genetic and Cognitive Deficit Effects
- SIGNIFICANT DNA MUTATIONS and Increase in Left carotid myointimal thickness vs. Rt carotid and controls c/w accelerated vascular aging.
- CONCLUSIONS Long-term radiation exposure in a cath lab may be associated with increased subclinical CIMT and telomere length shortening, suggesting evidence of accelerated vascular aging and early atherosclerosis.
Grazia Andreassi M et al. Subclinical carotid atherosclerosis and early vascular aging from long-term low dose ionizing radiation exposure: A genetic, telomere, and vascular ultrasound study in cardiac catheterization laboratory staff. JACC Cardiovasc Interv. 2015; 8:616-27.
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