Congress:
EuroSafe Imaging 2016
Keywords:
Action 10 - Improved communication and collaboration of health professionals in radiation protection, Action 3 - Optimisation, diagnostic reference levels, image quality, Action 2 - Clinical diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), Action 13 - Stakeholder engagement and collaboration
Authors:
H. Pieterman, H. Bijwaard, D. Valk, A. becht
DOI:
10.1594/esi2016/ESI-0043
Conclusion and Recommendations
ALARA no longer stands for justification and optimization but for justification,
optimization and cooperation
Until recently radiation protection was based on justification and optimization or in one word: ALARA,
as low as reasonable achievable.
The introduction of DRLs and forthcoming obligation will give a boost to the ALARA-principle.
It is no longer a local activity,
but will be lifted to regional and national levels.
However that will not be automatic.
Our survey suggests that the process of justification and optimization concerning patient protocols is mostly in the hands of radiologists and technicians,
where studying dose levels is the field of medical physicist.
When these two worlds don't meet,
DRLs will have limited success.
However it is our conviction that when we take collective responsibility for doses As Low As Reasonably Achievable,
lowering radiation exposure is still possible.
The same holds true for the academic and general radiological practice: sharing (written) protocols,
especially relatively infrequent ones wil facilitate in the use of DRLs and dose reduction .
A wider use of DRLs is especially necessary in the view of the ever growing number of CT-scans and image guided intervention (especially in children).
Our conclusions that sharing written protocols between (academic and general) hospitals should be stimulated and that medical physicist should be involved in optimization of protocols are in line with the new Euratom Directive.
Because we think it is better to change things before legislation come into action more cooperation in the field of radiation protection between radiologists,
technicians and medical physicists would be opportune,
both on the level of the individual departments and the professional societies.