Answer to Question #1962 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

There are a few old epidemiologic studies reported in the scientific literature that purport to show associations between occupational exposure to radiation and subsequent cancer. However, many of these have been refuted on statistical grounds. The remainder involve exposures from many years ago, when no personnel dosimeters were used. Your exposure was within the current occupational dose limit of 50 mSv (5,000 mrem) per year. No adverse effects have been detected at this level. S. Julian Gibbs, DDS, PhD

There have been several studies of occupationally exposed radiation workers.  These include studies of nuclear shipyard workers, radiologists, flight attendents, nuclear industry workers, and others.  At occupational levels of exposure (i.e. within regulatory limits) these studies tend to show small effects, if any.  In most cases, the magnitude of the health effects (positive and negative) is smaller than the error bars (the "noise") in the study data.  From this, we can surmise that, if there are any health effects from occupational levels of radiation exposure, they are too small to detect.  Andrew Karam, Ph.D., CHP