Congress:
EuroSafe Imaging 2020
Keywords:
Not applicable, Patterns of Care, Education and training, Radiation safety, Education, Fluoroscopy, CT, Conventional radiography, Radioprotection / Radiation dose, Paediatric, Action 1 - Guidelines, implementation policies, and Clinical Decision Support (ESR iGuide)
Authors:
C. Granata, J. Damilakis, T. De Bondt, S. Foley, C. Owens, G. Frija
DOI:
10.26044/esi2020/ESI-04648
Conclusion and recommendations
Just about half of the EU/EEA radiologists were aware that imaging referral guidelines are a legal requirement, despite the Directive 2013/59/Euratom requiring their availability has been transposed in most EU/EEA countries. Less than half of non-EU/EEA radiologists answered that availability of guidelines is a legal requirement in their countries. Not unexpectedly, the adoption of imaging referral guidelines is still largely incomplete in many EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA institutions. This issue is even more evident in children, especially in non-EU/EAA countries.
In EU/EEA countries the source of the adopted guidelines is more commonly national, whereas in non-EU/EEA countries is more commonly European. In both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA countries less than half of the guidelines available appear to be established according to evidence-based criteria, whereas radiation dose involved appears to be strongly taken into account.
The main reason for a lack of use of the available imaging guidelines appears to be access difficulties. Therefore, the implementation of the imaging referral guidelines into a clinical decision support system interfacing with RIS and electronic requesting systems is fundamental.
As expected, radiologists are by far the most involved in the circulation and use of paediatric imaging guidelines, followed by hospital paediatricians and radiographers.
Finally, ESR iGuide represents a promising tool, which requires further introduction to the European radiologists for a wider diffusion and implementation.
In conclusion, the information gathered with this review confirms that in Europe an effective and wide adoption of imaging referral guidelines - especially in children - has still to come.
To this aim, the enduring commitment of all stakeholders involved is pivotal.