DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i01.021

Pages: 112-123

Medical images play significant roles in the diagnosis and management of patients. In developing countries darkroom radiography is practiced and involves chemical processing of films using chemical substances known to be toxic when ingested or inhaled. This study aimed at investigating the histological changes and the changes in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels in the liver of wistar rats exposed to different concentrations of x-ray film processing chemicals for varying periods of time. Thirty (30) apparently healthy wistar rats of 20-24 weeks, weighing between 190g and 210g were randomly put into five groups, A-E of 6 rats each. Rats in groups A-D were the experimental groups exposed to varying concentrations of the processing chemicals for periods ranging from 15-30 days while rats in the control group E were not exposed to any processing chemical. After each desired period of time, two rats from each group were randomly selected, painlessly sacrificed, the liver harvested and blood sample collected and examine/analyzed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi Anambra State. Results showed that both x-ray film processing chemicals had adverse effects on the ALT and AST liver enzymes and liver tissues of wistar rats exposed to these chemicals. The effects were not significantly affected by the concentration of the solutions but were related to the period of exposure especially for the developer solution. While the major histological effect of the fixer was the dilation of central vein, the developer had varied histological effects.