Ionizing radiation (IR) induces many cellular changes by direct and indirect interactions, which alters multiple cellular processes, causing DNA damage and reactive oxygen species-induced biochemical disturbances. This study aimed at investigating the effect of various doses of computed Tomography (CT) scanning on the fragmentation of DNA and oxidative stress in healthy young adults.
The DNA damages associated with different doses of CT scan was explored using alkaline comet assay. Serum concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in each sample was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). There was a significantly higher percent of DNA fragmentation in the blood samples subjected to high dose of radiation (120 kV-210 mAs-21sec) than those exposed to lower doses. Furthermore, the serum concentration of MDA was proportional to the intensity of radiation. Therefore, DNA fragmentation can be associated with high doses of CT radiation, maybe due to radiation-induced oxidative stress.