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Review

Occupational Radiation Exposure and Thyroid Nodules in Healthcare Workers: A Review

by
Aikaterini Andreadi
1,2,*,†,
Stella Andreadi
3,4,†,
Marco Cerilli
2,
Federica Todaro
1,
Massimiliano Lazzaroni
1,2,
Pietro Lodeserto
1,2,
Marco Meloni
1,2,
Cristiana Ferrari
3,4,
Alfonso Bellia
1,2,
Luca Coppeta
3,4,
Andrea Magrini
3,4 and
Davide Lauro
1,2,*
1
Section of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
2
Endocrinology and Diabetology Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences, Foundation Policlinico Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
3
Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
4
Unit of Medicine of Work, Foundation Policlinico Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(13), 6522; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26136522
Submission received: 17 June 2025 / Revised: 3 July 2025 / Accepted: 5 July 2025 / Published: 7 July 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thyroid-Related Diseases: Molecular Pathology, Diagnosis and Treatment: 2nd Edition)
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Abstract

Thyroid nodules are a common clinical finding, with their prevalence influenced by multiple environmental and occupational factors, including exposure to ionizing radiation. Healthcare workers, particularly those operating in radiology, nuclear medicine, interventional cardiology, and radiation oncology, are potentially at increased risk due to chronic low-dose radiation exposure. This review aims to evaluate the current evidence regarding the association between occupational radiation exposure and the development of thyroid nodules among healthcare professionals. The findings suggest a higher prevalence of thyroid nodules in radiation-exposed workers compared to the general population, although data heterogeneity and methodological limitations exist. Factors such as the duration of exposure, radiation protection practices, and frequency of monitoring play critical roles in modulating the individual risk. While some studies report no significant difference in malignancy rates, the increased detection of nodules underlines the need for regular thyroid surveillance in at-risk populations. Further longitudinal and multicentric studies are warranted to clarify the causality and guide preventive strategies. This review highlights the importance of occupational health protocols, including radiation shielding and periodic thyroid evaluation, in safeguarding the long-term endocrine health of healthcare workers.
Keywords: thyroid nodules; radiation exposure; healthcare workers; prevalence and radiation safety thyroid nodules; radiation exposure; healthcare workers; prevalence and radiation safety

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MDPI and ACS Style

Andreadi, A.; Andreadi, S.; Cerilli, M.; Todaro, F.; Lazzaroni, M.; Lodeserto, P.; Meloni, M.; Ferrari, C.; Bellia, A.; Coppeta, L.; et al. Occupational Radiation Exposure and Thyroid Nodules in Healthcare Workers: A Review. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26, 6522. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26136522

AMA Style

Andreadi A, Andreadi S, Cerilli M, Todaro F, Lazzaroni M, Lodeserto P, Meloni M, Ferrari C, Bellia A, Coppeta L, et al. Occupational Radiation Exposure and Thyroid Nodules in Healthcare Workers: A Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2025; 26(13):6522. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26136522

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andreadi, Aikaterini, Stella Andreadi, Marco Cerilli, Federica Todaro, Massimiliano Lazzaroni, Pietro Lodeserto, Marco Meloni, Cristiana Ferrari, Alfonso Bellia, Luca Coppeta, and et al. 2025. "Occupational Radiation Exposure and Thyroid Nodules in Healthcare Workers: A Review" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 26, no. 13: 6522. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26136522

APA Style

Andreadi, A., Andreadi, S., Cerilli, M., Todaro, F., Lazzaroni, M., Lodeserto, P., Meloni, M., Ferrari, C., Bellia, A., Coppeta, L., Magrini, A., & Lauro, D. (2025). Occupational Radiation Exposure and Thyroid Nodules in Healthcare Workers: A Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(13), 6522. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26136522

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