Iran Occupational Health

Background and aims: The use of imaging such as X-rays may have an important role in early diagnosis, staging, planning treatment and monitoring of patients during treatment. Radiology ward staff is at risk of low-dose occupational exposure. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the biological effects of low dose occupational exposure to ionizing radiation on blood cell indices of radiology ward staff employed in a governmental hospital in Tehran.

Methods: In this case-control study, some blood parameters in 30 radiation workers(cases) and also30 persons who worked in other parts of the hospital were compared. Matching was done for confounding factors. The data was analyzed with software SPSS 20 (p<0.05).

Results: According to this study, there are no statistically significant differences in blood parameters such as red blood cells, white blood cells, hematocrit, platelets between radiation workers and other workers (p>0.05).

Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the hematological parameters of radiation workers exposed to low doses of radiation may not predict the amount of radiation effects.