Discussion
This study showed using the CA technique that DNA damage occurred in personnel (radiology techni- cians) occupationally exposed to X-rays. The DNA damage in the radiation technicians was significantly higher (p=0.001) compared with that in controls. This increase in DNA damage may be associated with the professional conditions to which radiology personnel were exposed. The radiation workers were exposed to more X-rays; therefore, they are at higher risk of developing detrimental effects than the general public22).
Characteristically, X-rays have been thought to be responsible for various cytogenetic defects. An increase in chromosomal aberrations has been observed among the X-rays workers, and even at low levels of X-rays the same consequences along with dicentrics chromosomes have been observed among the hospital workers23,24). High frequencies of centro- mere-positive and centromere-negative micronuclei have been reported in the peripheral lymphocytes of hospital workers occupationally exposed to X-rays25). Our research findings are in agreement with these studies and showed a significant increase in DNA damage in X-ray technicians as compared with the control group (Table 2).