Mutagenesis, Vol. 15, No. 3, 245-249,
May 2000
© 2000 UK Environmental Mutagen Society/Oxford University Press
Cytogenetic monitoring of hospital workers occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation using the micronucleus centromere assay
Department of Biomedical Physics and Radiation Protection, University of Ghent, Proeftuinstraat 86, 1 Department of Anatomy, Embryology and Histology, University of Ghent, L. Pasteurlaan 2, and 2 Occupational Medicine Service IDEWE, University Hospital Ghent, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
A cytogenetic study was performed in lymphocytes of hospital workers occupationally exposed to X- and 
-rays using the micronucleus centromere assay. A comparison of the data for the exposed group and an age-matched group of non-exposed hospital workers showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in centromere-positive micronuclei for the radiation workers, while no effect on centromere-negative micronuclei was present. The observed systematic increase in micronucleus frequency with age was mainly due to increased chromosome loss, reflected in the centromere-positivity of the micronuclei. The micronucleus frequencies were 40% higher in females than in males, which can again be attributed to higher chromosome loss. Two exposed individuals showed exceptionally high micronucleus yields, 90% of which were centromere-positive. In situ hybridization with a centromeric probe for chromosome X shows that X chromosome loss is responsible for these high micronucleus yields. In the studied population, smoking had no significant effect on the micronucleus yields. The results obtained indicate that in contrast to the predominantly clastogenic action of acute exposure to ionizing radiation, the aneugenic properties of radiation may be important after long-term chronic low dose exposure.
3 To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +32 92646643; Fax: +32 92646699; Email: hubert.thierens{at}rug.ac.be
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