Answer to Question #1570 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Q

I am considering a career as a radiology technician and am wondering about the risks to my health. How much exposure will I have and what are the short- and long-term risks/effects? I would like to know about even the smallest risks/risk factors.

A

Radiologic technologists receive ionizing radiation exposure in the course of performing their duties. As such, they are considered occupational radiation workers and are subject to the rules and requirements imposed by regulatory agencies responsible for regulating the safety of radiation workers. In general the regulatory agency for occupational workers using medical diagnostic x-ray equipment is the state in which the work is done. These agencies place limits on the amount of radiation exposure an occupational worker can receive. The actual exposure any individual worker receives is extremely variable depending on the specific circumstances of your work, including what types of x-ray equipment is used, the number of x rays you take, etc. However, every worker will be controlled so as not to exceed the safety limit established by the responsible regulatory agency. The risk from occupational exposure as a radiologic technologist, if there is any, will be the result of your individual dose of radiation which, as I pointed out, varies with each individual. So your question becomes the very broad question of what are the health risks of radiation? As background to this very broad question, I recommend you read the following Health Physics Society Position Statements which are found on the HPS Web site:

• Occupational Radiation-Safety Standards and Regulations Are Sound and
• Radiation Risk in Perspective

For more detailed information on the general topic of radiation health effects, three Web sites with basic information are the Radiation Effects Research Foundation Web site, the Idaho State University Health Physics Web site, and the University of Michigan Web site. Also, you can browse the questions already asked on the "Ask the Expert" feature of the Health Physics Society's Web site about radiation effects. Finally, I recommend you visit the Web site for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). This site has contacts for the ARRT, which would be an appropriate organization to ask the same question. On this site, under the link to "Inter-Org Relations," there is a link to "R.T. Health Study" which has information about an ongoing health study of radiologic technologists. The ARRT may also be able to give you other career information such as salaries, job opportunities, etc.

Keith H. Dinger, CHP