NIH Summit: ACR emphasizes tech + outreach to lower CT radiation
Presenting at a National Institutes of Health (NIH) summit on managing CT radiation dose in Bethesda, Md., representatives from the American College of Radiology (ACR) discussed initiatives for minimizing CT radiation dose ranging from technology and education to public policy and voluntary reporting.
The ACR called on providers, manufacturers and policymakers to join forces in developing safer CT systems and policies. "The government, manufacturers and imaging providers need to work together to arrive at quality-based imaging utilization and safety policies to ensure that patients get safe, quality care,” said John A. Patti, MD, chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors.
Patti and others cited such initiatives as the ACR CT Dose Index Registry and the Image Gently campaign. The Dose Index Registry allows providers to anonymously submit patient dose information for CT exams and compare their facility’s dosage to national benchmarks.
Presenting on the added risks of radiation exposure among children and the success of the Image Gently program on informing and influencing pediatric CT dosimetry, Donald P. Frush, MD, chair of the ACR Pediatric Imaging Commission and member of the Image Gently Steering Committee, said, “There is always more that can be done, but the Image Gently program is a promising example of imaging stakeholders working together to help ensure that those we care for receive safe, appropriate care.”
Calling radiologists “the stewards of medical radiation technology and safety for the past 100 years,” Patti and other representatives from the ACR also propounded the value of clinical decision support and education in promoting the safe and effective use of CT.
The “Summit to Focus on Management of Radiation Dose in Computerized Tomography — Emphasis Toward the Sub-mSv CT Exam,” was held Feb. 24 and 25 and hosted by NIH.
The ACR called on providers, manufacturers and policymakers to join forces in developing safer CT systems and policies. "The government, manufacturers and imaging providers need to work together to arrive at quality-based imaging utilization and safety policies to ensure that patients get safe, quality care,” said John A. Patti, MD, chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors.
Patti and others cited such initiatives as the ACR CT Dose Index Registry and the Image Gently campaign. The Dose Index Registry allows providers to anonymously submit patient dose information for CT exams and compare their facility’s dosage to national benchmarks.
Presenting on the added risks of radiation exposure among children and the success of the Image Gently program on informing and influencing pediatric CT dosimetry, Donald P. Frush, MD, chair of the ACR Pediatric Imaging Commission and member of the Image Gently Steering Committee, said, “There is always more that can be done, but the Image Gently program is a promising example of imaging stakeholders working together to help ensure that those we care for receive safe, appropriate care.”
Calling radiologists “the stewards of medical radiation technology and safety for the past 100 years,” Patti and other representatives from the ACR also propounded the value of clinical decision support and education in promoting the safe and effective use of CT.
The “Summit to Focus on Management of Radiation Dose in Computerized Tomography — Emphasis Toward the Sub-mSv CT Exam,” was held Feb. 24 and 25 and hosted by NIH.