What Risk Does a Radiologic Technologist Face?
This blog is now focused on laboratory specialties. This article is here for your information only, as jobs are no longer provided for any radiation technician specialties.
The U.S. Radiologic Technologists study is being done by The University of Minnesota,with the National Cancer Institute and the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists to determine just how risky it is to be a radiologic technologist. This study started in 1982 and has yet to be completed. Although, many findings have already been published.
It was found that a radiologic technologist who began working prior to 1950 has a higher risk of leukemia and breast cancer than one who started working later. After 1950 there was better shielding and technology, and dose limits were set. These factors appear to have lowered the risk substantially. In fact, researchers found that a radiologic technologist actually has a lower risk of dying for any reason than the general U.S. population. However, this is probably because people who are employed in a profession where they do a lot of moving are more likely to be healthy than those who don’t work or work in more sedentary jobs. Also, a radiologic technologist may know more about taking care of their health and have better access to healthcare.
So far it still cannot be said that a radiologic technologist, if all relevant details such as lifestyle and genetics were equal, would not be at greater risk because of their profession. But, on the other hand, it also can not be proven that a radiologic technologist is at a higher risk than anyone else.
These results are promising and a relief to many, but there are still unknown factors and much work to be done. For instance, there are many procedures that have not been around long enough for a radiologic technologist doing them to have developed cancer. For this reason this study is ongoing, and will continue to publish new findings.
- Olmstead, Susan (2006, October 2) Cancer and Your Job: How Safe Are You? Advance for Imaging and Radiation Thereapy Professionals, 17-19
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