Health Surveillance Guidelines for Ionizing Radiation Emergencies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/dcj.2026.16Keywords:
radiation emergency, health surveillance, ionizing radiation, occupational medicineAbstract
Ionizing radiation emergencies cause both deterministic and stochastic health effects. This review article synthesizes health surveillance guidelines for emergency responders and the public by comparing International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards, Chinese occupational health standards (GBZ), and Thailand's current guidelines. Finding that Thailand's existing general health examinations lack specificity for radiation exposure, this article proposes an integrated framework. It recommends lowering the long-term surveillance threshold to >100 mSv and emphasizes organ-specific monitoring for radiosensitive targets (eye lens, thyroid, reproductive, and hematopoietic systems) alongside cancer and mental health screening. A “Tiered approach” is also proposed to optimize limited medical resources. Ultimately, this article serves as a practical guideline for occupational medicine physicians to systematically manage radiation health risks.
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