Brain Tumors Among Radiologic Technologists Not Associated With Radiation Exposure

Radiologic technologists’ radiation exposure to the brain is not associated with malignant intracranial tumor mortality, according to a study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology. Researchers from Maryland, New York, Minnesota, and California sought to determine the association between protracted, low-to-moderate doses of radiation and malignant intracranial tumor mortality among radiologic technologists. The study included 83,655 female and 26,642 male radiologic technologists in the United States. All were certified for at least two years. The cohort was followed from the completion date of the first (1983 to 1989) or second survey (1994 to 1998) to the date of death, loss to follow-up, or Dec. 31, 2012, whichever was earliest. Occupational brain doses through 1997 were based on work history, historical data, and, for most years after the mid 1970s, individual film badge measurements. Radiation-related excess relative risks (ERRs) and 95 percent CIs were estimated from Poisson regression models adjusted for attained age and sex. The results showed  the cumulative mean absorbed brain dose of the technologists was 12 mGy (range, 0 to 290 mGy). During follow-up of a median, 26.7 years, 193 technologists were noted to have died of a malignant intracranial neoplasm. Based on models incorporating a five-year lagged cumulative brain dose, cumulative brain dose was not associated with malignant intracranial tumor mortality, the researchers wrote.  The researchers concluded cumulative occupational radiation exposure to the brain was not associated with malignant intracranial tumor mortality among this nationwide cohort of radiologic technologists.