Chronic Exposure to Static Magnetic Fields from Magnetic Resonance Imaging Devices Deserves Screening for Osteoporosis and Vitamin D Levels: A Rat Model.

Technicians often receive chronic magnetic exposures from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices, mainly due to static magnetic fields (SMFs). Here, we ascertain the biological effects of chronic exposure to SMFs from MRI devices on the bone quality using rats exposed to SMFs in MRI examining rooms. Eighteen Wistar albino male rats were randomly assigned to SMF exposure (A), sham (B), and control (C) groups. Group A rats were positioned within 50 centimeters of the bore of the magnet of 1.5 T MRI machine during the nighttime for 8 weeks. We collected blood samples for biochemical analysis, and bone tissue samples for electron microscopic and histological analysis. The mean vitamin D level in Group A was lower than in the other groups (p = 0.002). The mean cortical thickness, the mean trabecular wall thickness, and number of trabeculae per 1 mm2 were significantly lower in Group A (p = 0.003). TUNEL assay revealed that apoptosis of osteocytes were significantly greater in Group A than the other groups (p = 0.005). The effect of SMFs in chronic exposure is related to movement within the magnetic field that induces low-frequency fields within the tissues. These fields can exceed the exposure limits necessary to deteriorate bone microstructure and vitamin D metabolism.

Amelioration of aluminium-induced liver damage by vitamin E.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of aluminium sulphate on the microscopic morphology of the liver and on vitamin E amelioration of aluminium-induced liver damage. METHODS: Rats were injected intraperitoneally with aluminium sulphate alone or aluminium sulphate together with vitamin E, with saline injected rats used as the control group. The study took place in Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine in 2005. RESULTS: The rats exposed to aluminium showed morphological changes in addition to previously reported biochemical changes in the liver. The anti-oxidant vitamin E significantly diminished the liver damage seen due to aluminium. CONCLUSION: There is an apparent protective effect of vitamin E on parenteral aluminium exposure.