Effects of Low-Dose X-Ray Exposure on Hematological Parameters In Vivo

Venu Anand Das Vaishnav ¹*, Syed Sabir Ali ¹

This study determined the risks of low-dose X-ray exposure on blood parameters, contributing to radiation safety knowledge.

Abstract

Background: High levels of IR are known to induce cancer and disrupt biological processes through oxidative damage primarily driven by reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction. This study aims to investigate the effects of low-dose X-ray exposure on Hematologic parameters in Wistar albino rats, contributing to the limited literature on low-dose X-ray exposure and its impacts on liver health. Methods: Adult male Wistar albino rats, averaging 150 ± 25 g, were divided into four experimental groups. The rats underwent irradiation using a 6 MV linear accelerator, and blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. Hematologic parameters, including Red Blood Cells (RBCs), platelets (PLTs), hemoglobin (Hb), white blood cells (WBCs), lymphocytes (LY), and granulocytes (GRAN), were assessed. Results: Significant variations in hematologic parameters were observed based on the method and dosage of radiation. The RBC count decreased from 9.15 ± 0.21 (control) to 3.32 ± 0.25 (higher dosage), a reduction of 58.93%. Platelet counts dropped by 51.43% and 32.46% for single and fragmented dosage approaches, respectively. Moreover, WBC and granulocyte counts were significantly reduced, with hemoglobin levels declining by 47.52% and 57.34% following specific irradiation rates (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings underscore the adverse effects of ionizing radiation on hematologic parameters, indicating that low-dose X-ray exposure does not promote an adaptive response in hematology when followed by higher radiation doses.

Keywords: Ionizing Radiation, Liver Damage, Reactive Oxygen Species, Adaptive Response, Hematological Parameters

References

Hu, L., Wang, Z., Carmone, C., Keijer, J., & Zhang, D. (2021). Role of oxidative DNA damage and repair in atrial fibrillation and ischemic heart disease. International journal of molecular sciences, 22(8), 3838.

Jepeal, S. J., Snead, L., & Hartwig, Z. S. (2021). Intermediate energy proton irradiation: Rapid, high-fidelity materials testing for fusion and fission energy systems. Materials & Design, 200, 109445.

Murphy, M. P., Bayir, H., Belousov, V., Chang, C. J., Davies, K. J., Davies, M. J., ... & Halliwell, B. (2022). Guidelines for measuring reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage in cells and in vivo. Nature Metabolism, 4(6), 651–662.

Sia, J., Szmyd, R., Hau, E., & Gee, H. E. (2020). Molecular mechanisms of radiation-induced cancer cell death: a primer. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology, 8, 41.

Silver, E. H., Shulman, S. D., & Rehani, M. M. (2021). Innovative monochromatic X-ray source for high-quality and low-dosage medical imaging. Medical Physics, 48(3), 1064-1078.

Sisakht, M., Darabian, M., Mahmoodzadeh, A., Bazi, A., Shafiee, S. M., Mokarram, P., & Khoshdel, Z. (2020). The role of radiation-induced oxidative stress as a regulator of radio-adaptive responses. International journal of radiation biology, 96(5), 561-576.

Tolonen, A., Pakarinen, T., Sassi, A., Kyttä, J., Cancino, W., Rinta-Kiikka, I., ... & Arponen, O. (2021). Methodology, clinical applications, and future directions of body composition analysis using computed tomography (CT) images: a review. European journal of radiology, 145, 109943.

Tong, J., & Hei, T. K. (2020). Aging and age-related health effects of ionizing radiation. Radiation Medicine and Protection, 1(1), 15-23.