Authors
Sergio Ramos-Avasola, Constanza Garces, Nitza Espinosa-Rojo, Mario Araya, Edilaine Honorio da Silva, Adlin López, Marvin Querales
Published in
Health physics. Jul 07, 2026. Epub Jul 07, 2026.
Abstract
Chronic and asymmetric exposure to ionizing radiation in interventional catheterization units represents a potential occupational risk for skin health among healthcare workers. Although case reports and small series have described cutaneous malignancies in radiation-exposed personnel, epidemiological characterization remains limited due to scarce population-based data and inconsistent dermatological surveillance. This scoping review synthesizes the available evidence on occupational skin lesions in interventional staff, focusing on anatomical distribution, tumor characteristics, and protection gaps. The purpose of this paper is to map and summarize the scientific evidence on malignant and non-malignant skin lesions reported among interventional catheterization personnel exposed to ionizing radiation. A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines across major scientific databases. Eligible studies reported occupational skin cancer, precancerous lesions, chronic dermatological changes, or asymmetric radiation exposure among interventional personnel. Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data using a standardized template. Six studies met the eligibility criteria, comprising five descriptive publications (case reports and a small case series) and one large prospective cohort of radiologic technologists involved in fluoroscopically guided procedures. The descriptive evidence reported 120 tumors with documented laterality, 79.2% of which occurred on the left side of the body, predominantly affecting the face, neck, and upper extremities, consistent with scatter-radiation geometry. Basal cell carcinoma was the most frequent tumor type (76.7%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (23.3%). The cohort study reported elevated hazard ratios for melanoma, while estimates for basal and squamous cell carcinomas remained near unity. Overall, 96% of lesions occurred in anatomical regions not covered by conventional protective shielding. The evidence reveals a consistent pattern of asymmetric lesion distribution in unshielded anatomical regions and highlights critical gaps in dermatological surveillance, exposure assessment, and skin dosimetry among interventional personnel.
PMID:
42424120
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 10 Jul 2026.
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