Assessment of early and late DNA damages in interventional radiologists exposed to protracted low dose and dose rate of X-radiation

Occupational radiation exposures for interventionalists are considered as the highest received doses among medical practitioners and contributing a risk of DNA damage. A significantly higher γ-H2AX foci and unstable chromosomal aberrations (p > 0.001) was observed in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes (PBL) of medical professionals when compared to healthy volunteers, whereas translocations did not show any difference. The results suggest that low-dose protracted radiation exposure can induce DNA damages in PBL and can get repaired or misrepaired and develop into chromosomal aberrations.