History

Background: DNA methylation, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and comet assay are indicators of biological effects of ionizing radiation, and the Geiger-Muller counter is used to determine the annual effective dose in hospitals. Aims: To determine the effects of ionizing radiation on radiology workers by measuring the DNA methylation, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, comet assay, and Geiger-Muller counter. Materials and Methods: eighty-one individuals were including in this study (forty-one from radiology workers who working in radiology departments in some hospitals of Baghdad, Iraq and forty from persons who not work in radiology department). Venous blood collected from the participants to determine the DNA methylation, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and comet assay. Geiger-Muller counter was used to determine the indoor and outdoor annual effective dose obtained by placing the counter in operator and imaging room in x-ray, CT- scan and mammography imaging and catheterization section of hospitals. Results: it was fodeviceat in the radiation assessment the annual effective dose that the workers exposed for the outdoor radiation dose rate for ranged from 5.2 mSv/y to 22.1 mSv/y and the result for the indoor radiation dose rate from 20.6mSv/y to58.9mSv/y for background radiation (devise is switched off) But when the devise is switch on the indoor annual effective dose ranged from 44.2 to 106 mSv/y and the outdoor annual effective dose ranged From 12.5 to 640 mSv/y,which is exceed the permission levels of ICRP. For DNA methylation It has been found that workers have higher DNA methylation than control with p-value <0.001, methylation increases with ages for both groups, and there is no effect of gender on methylation. for malondialdehyde MDA were found that the workers recorded higher levels of MDA than non-workers with p-value<0.001, MDA increase with age for both groups, MDA levels increase as the employment duration increase for workers, MDA levels not effected by the gender with p-value 0.194.for comet assay the parameters(DNA in head, DNA in tail, tail length, tail area, comet length, comet height, tail moment) noticed that for workers have more damages (DNA fragmentation) than non-workers with p-value <0.001 unless for comet length where there is no significant effect with p-value 0.711,as the ages raised the DNA damage is increase for workers. Where the DNA in head is decrease with the ages,but for non- workers the DNA in the head Almost stay in one level with ages, the comet shows no effect of gender on DNA fragmentation with p-value ranged from0.333 to 0.884 for both groups. Conclusion: The present evaluation of the Geiger-Muller counter to count ionizing radiation in the radiology departments of hospitals shows an increase in the ionizing radiation annual effective dose that the radiology workers received more than the permission of International Commission on Radiological Protection, and this led to an increase in DNA damage for the tests (DNA methylation, Malondialdehyde MDA, Comet assay).