Effects of Gamma Radiation on Plasma Levels of Cu and Mn in Nuclear Medicine Staff

Copper and manganese play antioxidative roles in cells. Since gamma radiation is frequently used at medical imaging centers, we evaluated possible changes in serum levels of copper and manganese among nuclear medicine staff.
This cross-sectional study enrolled 30 nuclear medicine staff and 10 individuals as the control group. Blood samples of 20 ml were collected and centrifuged at 4000 rpm for 7 min to separate the sera for measuring copper and manganese through atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAA) with graphite furnace.
The mean of copper concentration in the control group (93.85±25.33) was a bit higher than that in the irradiated group (85.6±21.66); however, this difference was not significant (p=0.32). A positive linear correlation was observed between exposure time and the reduced level of copper; however, this relationship was not statistically significant (p=0.05). An insignificant difference was observed in the mean of manganese concentration between the two groups and its relationship with exposure time.
Reduced copper level can be considered as one of the possible mechanisms for gamma radiation effect on cells, which may be associated with oxidative damage. However, it needs further studies.