The Korean Journal of Medicine

The Korean Association of Internal Medicine (대한내과학회)
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Occupational Radiation Exposure and Health Effects among Medical Workers

의료인의 직업적 방사선 노출과 건강 영향

  • Lee, Won Jin (Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine)
  • 이원진 (고려대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실)
  • Published : 2018.06.01
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Abstract

Medical radiation workers occupy the largest group of radiation workers and is rapidly increasing worldwide. They expose to protracted low-dose radiation and include a large proportion of women. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of occupational radiation exposure and health effects among medical radiation workers through literature review and from the findings of Korean medical radiation workers' studies. Occupational radiation exposure increases the risk of many chronic diseases including cancer, cataract, cardiovascular diseases, thyroid diseases, and others. Although Korean medical radiation workers had a more favorable mortality than in general population, male workers experienced higher mortality from all cancers, leukemia, cancers of the stomach and the colon, and diseases of circulatory system after adjusting for the lower overall mortality. The potential adverse health risks from occupational radiation exposure are not negligible in medical radiation workers if current working level remains. Therefore, effective prevention efforts are needed to reduce the risks of diseases from occupational radiation exposures.

Keywords

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