By Nick Klenske
Diagnostic radiology accounts for approximately 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with most emissions coming from the production of medical imaging equipment and the energy needed to power it.
Yet despite its big environmental footprint, radiology is well-positioned to play an even bigger role in reducing its environmental impact.
“Because radiologists are adept at managing rapid technological change, we have the potential to take the lead in implementing sustainability-focused initiatives within our departments, health care systems, and communities,” said Kate Hanneman, MD, MPH, vice chair of research and associate professor at the University of Toronto and deputy lead of sustainability at the Joint Department of Medical Imaging, Toronto General Hospital.
Helping radiology leverage this potential is the RSNA Sustainability Task Force.
“Our goal is to identify initiatives that can reduce the environmental impact of medical imaging and address environmental sustainability in radiology,” said Task Force Chair Christopher Hess, MD, PhD, the Alexander R. Margulis Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco.
During a Wednesday RSNA presentation, Task Force members presented the results of their work – work that included defining RSNA’s role in medical imaging sustainability. “One of the first things we realized is that we can’t solve climate change alone, real change takes a village,” said Reed Omary, MD, MS, professor, Radiology and Radiological Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
To help accelerate the speed and scope of this change, RSNA is partnering with industry, health care groups, patients, other imaging societies and government agencies. It’s also working to support sustainability-focused education and research. As to the former, RSNA’s EdCentral, the Society’s new educational platform, now includes a range of relevant content.
Task Force members also highlighted the need for more primary research on sustainable imaging. Here, Charles Goh, FRCR, MBBS, MMed, a radiologist and chief medical informatics officer at Singapore General Hospital, noted that the RSNA R&E Emerging Issues grant includes the environmental impact and sustainability of radiology as a topic. “We hope initiatives like this will encourage more people to conduct the primary research we need,” he said.
Task Force members also used the session to highlight some practical ways radiologists can help mitigate the environmental impact of medical imaging. For example, they stressed that everyone can work to integrate the ‘3 Rs’ of reduce, re-use and recycle into their everyday workflow. This includes such simple actions as transitioning from disposable to reusable medical supplies, turning off climate-control systems in unoccupied areas and powering down equipment when not in use.
In fact, it is estimated that switching scanners off or to lower power states could substantially reduce carbon emissions—by 33% for MRI and as much as 80% for CT.
“At the end of the day, the simplest and most impactful thing each of us can do is just turn it off,” added Sean Woolen, MD, MS, assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center.
The Task Force further noted that different imaging modalities have different carbon footprints, with MRI and CT emitting more CO2 than US or X-rays. “When more than one imaging test is appropriate to answer a clinical question, imaging tests with lower emissions can be prioritized,” Dr. Hanneman said.
Beyond looking at the energy use of current imaging technologies, Elmar Merkle, MD, a radiologist at University Hospitals Basel, Switzerland, stressed the need to address the carbon footprint of such emerging technologies as AI. “AI uses a huge amount of energy and if we aren’t proactive at addressing this now, it could significantly increase radiology’s environmental impact,” he explained.
Other recommendations include abbreviating imaging protocols, expanding the use of clinical low-field MRI applications, and working with manufacturers to update or refurbish rather than purchasing new imaging equipment.
“Radiology has a substantial environmental footprint and we each have a responsibility to reduce our impact,” Dr. Hanneman concluded. “The good news is that there are many opportunities for doing exactly that—all without sacrificing patient care and safety.”
Are you interested in the sustainability efforts being implemented in radiology? #RSNA24
— RSNA (@RSNA) December 4, 2024
Access the Discovery Theater presentation, “Advancing Radiology's Path to Sustainable Imaging: Insights from RSNA's Sustainability Task Force,” (DT25) on demand at RSNA.org/MeetingCentral.
© 2024 RSNA.
The RSNA 2024 Daily Bulletin is the official publication of the 110th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. Published online Sunday, December 1 — Friday, December 6.
The RSNA 2024 Daily Bulletin is owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc., 820 Jorie Blvd., Suite 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523.
