Professional exposure to ionizing radiation and the occurrence of cataract

• Published in: Vojnosanitetski pregled Vol. 61; no. 4; pp. 387 - 390
• Main Authors: Djurovic, Branka, Djurovic, Branislav, Spasic-Jokic, Vesna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Military Health Department, Ministry of Defance, Serbia 2004
• Subjects: cataract; ionizing; occupational exposure; radiation
• ISSN: 0042-8450; 2406-0720
• DOI: 10.2298/VSP0404387D

Radiation cataract is one of ensuing effects of ionizing radiation, since its threshold dose under which it does not occur, and above which it shows dose dependency, has been observed. Clinical course of radiation cataract is identical for all the types of ionizing radiation and is very typical. Minimal dose for progressive cataract formation is determined by the type of radiation, i.e., its relative biological efficacy, dose, and the duration of the exposure period. Theoretically, threshold dose existence does not exclude the incidence of cataract formation under significantly smaller doses, as well. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of cataract formation among the medical staff professionally exposed to ionizing radiation. Neither of the diagnosed cataracts had typical morphology, nor was the correlation established between the dose, exposure time, and the cataract formation. All the diagnosed cataracts were described as premature, and therefore ionizing radiation was considered as a co-factor in premature cataract formation in the examined groups. Radijacijska katarakta spada u deterministicke efekte jonizujuceg zracenja jer je uocen prag doze ispod koga ne nastaje, odnosno iznad koga pokazuje doznu zavisnost. Klinicka slika radijacijska katarakte je identicna za sve vrste jonizujuceg zracenja i vrlo je karakteristicna. Minimalna doza za nastanak progresivne katarakte odredjena je vrstom zracenja, odnosno njegovom relativnom bioloskom efikasnoscu, dozom i vremenom ekspozicije. Postojanje praga, teorijski, ne iskljucuje mogucnost nastanka katarakte i pri znatno manjim dozama. Cilj rada je da utvrdi ucestalost katarakte kod medicinskih radnika profesionalno izlozenih jonizujucem zracenju. Ni jedna dijagnostikovana katarakta po morfologiji ne odgovara tipicnoj radijacijskoj katarakti, niti je moguce uspostaviti korelaciju izmedju primljene doze duzine specificnog radnog staza i pojave katarakte. Nadjene katarakte su opisane kao presenilne, te se u ispitivanim grupama jonizujuce zracenje moze smatrati kofaktorom u nastanku presenilne katarakte.