Congress:
EuroSafe Imaging 2019
Keywords:
Action 12 - Information for and communication with patients, Action 13 - Stakeholder engagement and collaboration, Radioprotection / Radiation dose, Experimental, Radiation safety, Quality assurance
Authors:
G. Frija, D. P. Frush
DOI:
10.26044/esi2019/ESI-0120
Description of activity and work performed
Collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
The ISR collaborates with the IAEA Radiation Protection of Patients Unit as well as the Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section.
The collaboration with the IAEA focuses on:
- Capacity building in low and middle-income countries
- Support implementation of the International Radiation Basic Safety Standards (BSS) and Bonn Call for Action
- Collaborate on justification and access to and take up of imaging referral guidelines
- Participate in IAEA Technical Meetings and related development of guidance document and training material
Collaboration with the WHO:
ISR is in official relations with WHO (a so-called Non-State Actor in official relations) and thus closely collaborates towards improving radiation protection in low-and middle-income countries.
During its 144th meeting end January 2019,
the WHO Executive Board renewed ISR’s status as Non-State Actor in official relations with WHO following a review of the 2016-2018 work plan and evaluation of the submitted work plan for the coming 3-year period that will guide the ISR/WHO collaboration for the period 2019-2021.
The following focal areas of collaboration were identified in the work plan:
- Develop a global plan for equipment,
manpower and organisation in radiology,
recognising the need to ensure access to new technologies
- Support implementation of the International Radiation Basic Safety Standards (BSS) and Bonn Call for Action
- Facilitate access to imaging referral guidelines
- Foster the teamwork approach in medical use of radiation
- Radiation risk communication in medical imaging
- Ethical aspects of medical radiation protection
- New: Quality/safety aspects for non-ionising radiation
- Promote universal access to appropriate imaging technology and uptake of technological advances
ISRQSA survey on justification and guidelines:
The ISRQSA carried out a survey among its member campaigns to have a global picture of the current situation of the presence and use of clinical imaging guidelines (CIG) and to build the pillars of future ISRQSA recommendations/guidelines on this matter.
The preliminary results on the availability of guidelines showed that CIG are only available in North America and (partly) in Europe,
whereas Brazil,
EN-AfroSafe region and the Maghreb region are planning the development of CIG.
Therefore,
the ISRQSA aims at preparing guidelines for CIG implementation,
establishing a central repository for freely accessible CIG,
and supporting the development of mobile app solutions.
Communication and education activities:
The ISRQSA made regular contributions and suggestions to the ISR communications team and contributed to related newsletters.
Five open-access modules of the ISR Radiation Protection Training Program for patients/public were released (http://www.isradiology.org/2017/isr/trainingProgram.php).
Moreover,
a frequently asked questions (FAQ) format for radiation safety project was published on the ISR website (http://www.isradiology.org/2017/isr/quality.php#faqs).
ISRQSA representation at various meetings and conferences worldwide:
- 18èmes Journées Franco-Tunisiennes de Radiologie,
Tunis,
March 2018
- IAEA - Technical Meeting on Experiences with the Implementation of the Bonn Call for Action,
Vienna,
March 2018
- Pan Arab Association of Radiological Societies (PAARS),
Alexandria,
April 2018
- IOMP/ISR School on Diagnostic Reference Levels at the World Congress on Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering,
Prague,
June 2018
- ICRP meeting with Special Liaison Organisations,
Stockholm,
September 2018
- ICRP Committee 3 Meeting,
Beijing,
November 2018