Health Conditions of Medical Staff in Radiotherapy and Surrounding Departments in a Hospital of Guangdong Province

Objective To understand the health conditions of radiation medical staff and those working in proximity of radiotherapy department, so as to provide reference for reinforcing physical health management.

Methods Study subjects were medical staff in a hospital of Guangdong Province. We chose 17 staff working around the radiotherapy department as the peripheral group; 17 radiation staff as the radiation group matched by gender (1:1) and age (±3 years) with the peripheral group; and 34 staff without occupational radiation exposure and working away from radiation therapy equipment as the control group. Their medical examination records were collected for statistical analysis, including medical history, ophthalmologic (crystal slit lamp) examination, blood routine examination, blood biochemical examination, chromosome aberration analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes, lym phocytes micronucleus, thyroid function, thyroid color B ultrasound, urine routine examination, electrocardiogram, and abdominal ultrasound. Meanwhile, the radiation doses from radiation therapy equipment and received by medical staff were measured.

Results The protective performance of radioactive equipment and the radiation doses around the equipment rooms met the national occupational health standards. The per capita effective dose equivalent of the radiation medical staff was (0.15±0.01) mSV/a, and no individual exposure exceeded the national standard limits. The positive rates of thyroid nodules in the peripheral group and the radiation group were 70.59% and 52.94% respectively, higher than that of the control group (0.00%) (both Ps < 0.05); the incidence rates of chromosome aberrations were 17.65% and 29.41% respectively, also higher than that of the control group (0.00%) (both Ps < 0.05); the le ukocyte count in the radiation group (7.26±0.44)×10⁹/L was higher than that of the control group (6.03±0.24)×10⁹/L(P < 0.05).

Conclusion The findings indicate higher incidence rates of thyroid nodules and chromosome aberrations in the radiation medical staff and those who work in proximity than that in the control population in the selected hospital.