In plain language
In about 91,000 US radiologic technologists, those who worked with fluoroscopically guided procedures had higher brain cancer mortality and modestly higher breast cancer and melanoma incidence. Overall cancer mortality was not raised. This is an association without dose data, so chance or confounding cannot be excluded.
At a glance
- Type of study
- Original research, Prospective cohort study
- Who was studied
- Radiologic technologists
- Size
- n = 90,957 radiologic technologists
- Where
- United States
- Summary based on
- the full text
What it found
Brain cancer mortality was about twofold higher in technologists who ever worked with fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures than in those who never did, based on 26 exposed cases.
Key figures: HR, 2.55; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.48-4.40
Female breast cancer incidence was modestly elevated, but breast cancer mortality was not.
Key figures: Incidence HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.02-1.32; mortality HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.69-1.66
Melanoma incidence was modestly elevated among technologists who worked with these procedures.
Key figures: HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.05-1.61
Mortality from all cancers combined was not elevated, with only a small suggestive increase in all-cancer incidence.
Key figures: Mortality HR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.88-1.14; incidence HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.00-1.17
No elevated risk was seen for thyroid, nonmelanoma skin, prostate, lung or colorectal cancer, or for non-CLL leukemia.
Limits to keep in mind
Exposure was a self-reported ever/never measure with no individual dose data, some incident cancers were self-reported and not validated, and residual confounding is possible. Follow-up was short relative to cancer latency and there were few brain cancer cases.
Related research summaries
- Radiation Exposure, Training, and Safety in Cardiology (2024, Narrative review)
- Radiation exposure in interventional cardiology: a narrative review of health effects and novel approaches to ensure radiation safety (2025, Narrative review)
- Radiation in the Orthopedic Operating Room: What We Know, What We Do, and What Needs Attention (2025, Narrative review)
- SCAI Multi-Society Position Statement on Occupational Health Hazards (2020, Guideline or consensus statement)
- Occupational Risks of Chronic Low Dose Radiation Exposure in Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory (2013, Narrative review)
How this summary was made
ORSIF prepared this summary with AI assistance from the full text of the paper. A program then checked that the passage supporting each finding appears word for word in that source. A person has not yet reviewed each summary, so read the original before relying on a number. ORSIF summarizes research and does not endorse any product or company. Report a problem with this summary.
Prepared November 3, 2026.