European co-ordinated action on improving justification of computed tomography
The 36-month European Commission-funded project ‘European co-ordinated action on improving justification of computed tomography’ (EU-JUST-CT) started in April 2021 and was coordinated by the European Society of Radiology (ESR).
The project’s general objective was to improve the justification of computed tomography (CT) in the EU through the development and implementation of a common approach, methodology and co-ordinated action in this area among EU Member States.
To this end, EU-JUST-CT carried out pilot audits of justification of CT examinations in seven countries (Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Slovenia) using the ESR iGuide clinical decision support as a reference standard. This was the first time that the same methodology for auditing the justification of CT examinations was used simultaneously in several countries.
The work was part of the SAMIRA Action Plan, a key element of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and closely related to recent work on clinical audit e.g. the QuADRANT study.
The project was led by Prof. Boris Brkljacic (University of Zagreb School of Medicine, HR) and co-led by Ms. Alexandra Karoussou-Schreiner (Ministry of Health and Social Security, LU).
Upon conclusion of the project, the Results and recommendations from a first-time multi-national study on CT justification in the EU were published as part of the EC’s Radiation Protection Series (No. 205) in September 2024 and can be accessed here.
The EU-JUST-CT project had the following specific objectives:
- Collect up-to-date information about justification of CT examinations in Europe.
- Develop a common methodology for auditing justification of CT examinations.
- Carry out co-ordinated pilot audits of justification of CT examinations in a minimum of five different European countries.
- Discuss the status of justification of CT examinations with the Member States and identify opportunities for further action.
Background:
Justification of medical exposures in Europe is a highly important and timely topic, and justification of CT imaging is of paramount importance and in the focus of medical professional societies, radiation protection authorities and the European Commission. Pediatric imaging is especially important in this regard. The significant level of inappropriate use of medical exposures was demonstrated in many studies, including those performed by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (2009) “Report of a consultation on justification of patient exposures in medical imaging”. In several European countries national audit studies on appropriateness of CT and MRI examinations were performed, with different results, and the ESR is strongly promoting dissemination and use of imaging referral guidelines (ESR iGuide).
Thus, this project was another important milestone for ESR and its collaborative work with other organisations, including its national and subspecialty societies, professional societies of related disciplines, radiation protection regulators, and ministries of health, to promote and enhance BSSD compliance, and support improvement of justification.
Contact:
EU-JUST-CT was led by the European Society of Radiology (ESR)
ESR Office Am Gestade 1 | AT – 1010 Vienna
Phone: +43 (1) 533 40 64 -20
E-mail: Monika Hierath, monika [.] hierath [@] myesr [.] org
This project has received funding from the European Commission under Service Contract N° ENER/21/NUCL/SI2.844392