EuroSafe Imaging Update, March 2015
EuroSafe Imaging celebrates milestones of its first year at ECR 2015
One year after its launch at ECR 2014, the ESR’s EuroSafe Imaging campaign to improve quality and safety in medical imaging in Europe took stock of an impressive array of achievements and looked ahead to the challenges of the next twelve months.
The EuroSafe Imaging Call for Action, the ESR’s 12-point action plan for a holistic approach to enhance radiation protection, was at the centre of all EuroSafe Imaging activities at ECR 2015. Prof. Guy Frija, Chair of the EuroSafe Imaging Steering Committee, chaired a public session dedicated to the Call for Action and highlighted some of the ESR’s priority projects. These included the launch of ESR iGuide, a clinical decision support system for European imaging referral guidelines, the publication of the ESR’s update policy for medical imaging equipment, the launch of the eLearning platform Education on Demand and the ESR’s contribution to the development of a strategic European research agenda for radiation protection.
On the latter issue, the ESR has concluded a Memorandum of Understanding with the Multidisciplinary European Low Dose Initiative (MELODI), the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM), the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS), the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO), and the European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP). Dr. Jacques Repussard, MELODI chair, reported on the progress of this initiative focussing on the current efforts of the medical associations to develop a medical radiation protection strategic research agenda (SRA), and to set up a platform for the medical field. Future European research calls are expected to take into account the medical radiation protection strategic research agenda.
The Call for Action session also featured presentations by other EuroSafe Imaging Steering Committee members, reflecting the ESR’s multi-disciplinary approach to radiation protection. Prof. Graciano Paulo highlighted radiographers’ key role in maintaining the links between physicians, medical physicists, equipment vendors and patients, and proposed a comprehensive patient safety paradigm based on a common communication strategy and emphasising the importance of team-work in daily practice.
Prof. John Damilakis, President of EFOMP, demonstrated how medical physicists’ responsibilities match the key objectives of EuroSafe Imaging. Medical physicists play a key role in providing accurate dose measurements necessary for properly justifying imaging exams, which is also an important basis for properly informing patients of the risks and benefits of a scan.
The ESR’s Radiation Protection Subcommittee Chairman, Prof. Peter Vock, presented the ESR’s education and training activities as a core part of the EuroSafe Imaging agenda. This includes the European Training Curriculum for Radiology and its dedicated radiation protection chapter and the e-learning modules in the online platform Education on Demand.
Is your Imaging EuroSafe? Preliminary survey results on CT head published
EuroSafe Imaging officially presented the preliminary results of the first part of the ‘Is your Imaging EuroSafe?’ survey series at ECR 2015, with the poster that was displayed at the EuroSafe Imaging exhibition as well as the information booth now available online. The results for head CT for acute stroke indicate that in between one-fifth and a quarter of imaging departments, exposure values exceed 200 CTDIVOI (mGy) or 1500 DLP (mGy.cm).
The aim of the ‘Is your Imaging EuroSafe?’ survey is to provide benchmarks for imaging departments, and to do so effectively data from numerous sources is necessary. If you have not yet submitted your data, please click here to take the survey and find out how your institution compares.
PiDRL Workshop, Lisbon, October 15-17, 2015 – Free Online Registration and Abstract Call open!
PiDRL, the ESR-led European Commission tender project to establish diagnostic reference levels for paediatric patients, invites interested individuals to attend its workshop in October 2015, where the draft report on paediatric DRLs will be presented.
Click here for the scientific programme and more information about the abstract call on the topic ‚Patient Doses from Paediatric Diagnostic and Interventional Procedures – Establishment and Use of Paediatric DRLs‘. To register for the workshop for free, click here.
ESR CT checklist – managing a safe CT service
The ESR is pleased to announce the publication of its checklist for managing a safe CT service. Developed by the Radiation Protection Subcommittee, the checklist details the most important aspects to consider for workflow management and dealing with patients before and after an examination, and also includes a list of self-assessment questions for CT radiographers and imaging departments.
The ‘Managing a safe CT service’ checklist is available here.
Launch of AFROSAFE – pan-African radiation protection initiative
Part of EuroSafe Imaging’s mission is to foster international cooperation on radiation protection. The ESR is therefore proud that EuroSafe Imaging has helped to inspire African radiologists to launch AFROSAFE at the Pan African Congress on Radiology (PACORI), held in Nairobi/Kenia in February 2015. The World Health Organisation’s Dr. Maria Perez represented EuroSafe Imaging on behalf of Steering Committee Chair Prof. Guy Frija, assuring AFROSAFE of EuroSafe Imaging’s support in improving the quality and safety of radiology services for patients across Africa.
