Who Is Most Sensitive to Thyroid Radiation?
The thyroid gland is one of the most sensitive organs to radiation. Therefore, it’s reasonable to worry about protecting it in medical settings when using equipment like X-rays, C-arms, and fluoroscopy. You may have also heard that some individuals are more sensitive to radiation and require additional protection and safety measures.
Who is the most sensitive to thyroid radiation, and what safety measures can help those frequently exposed to it? We’ll provide everything you need to know about radiation sensitivity here and safety measures to protect your thyroid, such as wearing a thyroid shield.
What Factors Increase Sensitivity to Thyroid Radiation?
Age is one of the individual thyroid sensitivity factors that could make someone more sensitive to radiation. A study published by the Journal of Endocrine Reviews stated that thyroid radiation exposure at a young age is a recognized risk factor for thyroid cancer. The risk can last for 4 decades after exposure and potentially an individual’s entire life.
Additionally, the study mentioned that diagnostic medical radiation is the largest source of man-made radiation exposure. Therefore, since children are slightly more sensitive to radiation, clinicians should remain mindful of that to keep them safe and protected during diagnostic procedures.
Occupational Exposure Poses Risks to Thyroid Health
Occupational radiation exposure in medical environments is another significant risk factor. Clinicians operating equipment like X-rays, C-arms, and fluoroscopy have their thyroid and other critical organs exposed to radiation regularly.
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that individuals occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation in medical settings were approximately 3 times more likely to develop autoimmune thyroid disease than nonexposed individuals. The study also mentioned that those exposed to occupational radiation for more than 5 years were at the greatest risk.
Additionally, research published by the Mayo Clinic stated that the risk of thyroid cancer and other damage increases with the dose received. Therefore, the thyroid will be particularly sensitive to high-dose radiation procedures like C-arm-guided fluoroscopy. To protect clinicians, proper shielding, including thyroid collars and lead aprons, should be used when working with this equipment.
Genetic Predispositions May Increase Sensitivity
A study in the Journal of Clinical Thyroidology stated that those with positive thyroid autoantibodies should be vigilant after medical radiation since they may be more susceptible to it triggering autoimmune thyroid disease or other thyroid damage.
The study estimated that 70-80% of cases of autoimmune thyroid disease are related to genetics and outside sources like medical radiation can trigger it to occur in predisposed individuals.
Are Children More Sensitive to Thyroid Radiation Than Adults?
The CDC states that children are slightly more sensitive to thyroid radiation effects than adults. The primary reason for children’s sensitivity is that they’re still growing. During growth, the body’s cells are quickly dividing and multiplying. Radiation can interfere with those cells much more easily than the more stable and consistent cells in adults.
What Are the Specific Risks for Different Demographics?
As mentioned, age is one of the demographics that correlates with thyroid sensitivity. Younger individuals are slightly more sensitive to radiation than adults, so proper considerations and precautions should be taken for children undergoing diagnosis or interventional surgery.
Another demographic factor that may contribute to radiation risks is gender. A 2019 review from the Journal of Frontiers in Genetics said that available data suggests that women are more sensitive to radiation than men. The research on this is limited, so more conclusive evidence is still needed to verify that statement.
Lastly, occupational risks of radiation exposure to the thyroid and other critical organs are high.
A study published in March 2024 found that diagnostic imaging radiologists, nuclear medicine technicians, and diagnostic cardiologists were the occupational groups with the highest radiation exposure. About 16% of the individuals in those groups exceeded the annual radiation dose limits set by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), so better protective measures are necessary to keep those clinicians safe.
How Can We Mitigate Risks Associated with Thyroid Radiation Exposure?
The CDC recommends following ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) guidelines for radiation risk mitigation in medical settings. Under ALARA, the three principles that guide thyroid safety and help protect other critical organs are time, distance, and shielding.
Time: Operate as efficiently as possible to reduce the length of exposure.
Distance: Maintain the greatest distance possible from the radiation source. However, this can be challenging to achieve during procedures like C-arm guided fluoroscopy in interventional surgery, where clinicians operate right next to the equipment.
Shielding: Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) like thyroid collars and lead aprons to shield critical organs from scattered radiation.
A study in 2017 estimated that wearing both lead aprons and thyroid collars reduced the annual radiation dose interventional cardiologists received from 46.2 mSv to 1.7 mSv.
Another study in 2018 estimated that thyroid shields reduced the radiation dose received by 2.5 times.
PPE Must be Cleaned and Maintained to Ensure Safety and Effectiveness
Protective lead garments will accrue damage, dirt, germs, and contaminants with regular use. Therefore, it’s essential to maintain them properly.
A study by the Journal of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology examined 85 lead aprons in a medical facility. It found that 68.2% were defective, and 16.5% had folds in the internal lead layer that could damage them over time. The main issues were improper storage and a lack of regular inspections and maintenance.
Therefore, using the proper storage solutions, like hanging garments on a sturdy storage rack, conducting annual inspections, and repairing garments as needed, is essential.
Additionally, a study that assessed 25 lead garments found that 84% were contaminated with Tinea species (ringworm) and Staphylococcus aureus, and 12% were contaminated with MRSA. Those contaminants put healthcare workers at risk, so quarterly deep cleanings are essential for health and safety.
Maintain Your PPE with Our Services at RCS
We can help maintain protective garments, such as thyroid shields and lead aprons, at Radiological Care Services (RCS). Our services include:
Annual inspections using X-ray scanning
Deep cleaning and disinfection
Garment repairs
Garment disposal
Inventory management with our RADCOMPLY™ software
Our services follow protocols from governing bodies like AORN and the CDC to ensure our cleaning, inspection, and repairs are as effective as possible. When you work with us, you can rest assured that we’ll make maintaining your PPE efficient and effective to protect your patients and staff.
Contact us today to learn more about how RCS can help.