The Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging is expanding the scope of its Image Gently campaign to include interventional radiology. The organization launched a global campaign this week to increase awareness of the need to keep radiation dose as low as possible when performing interventional radiology procedures on children.
The basic tenets of the Image Gently campaign for interventional radiology are to "child-size" the technique, step lightly on the fluoroscopy pedal, and consider using ultrasound or MRI guidance rather than radiation-based imaging.
Interventional radiology procedures are the third largest radiation dose contributor in medicine, following CT exams and nuclear medicine procedures, according to the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) of Bethesda, MD. The extension of the Image Gently campaign is an effort to ensure that medical protocols for performing interventional procedures keep pace with advancing technology and the increasing use of these techniques.
The Image Gently campaign was originally launched in January 2008 to promote the optimization of CT radiation dose for children, to reduce CT radiation dose as much as possible, and to avoid ordering CT exams for children if another procedure could be effectively substituted. Over the course of a year, the campaign has spread from being a North American initiative to a global one, with 43 medical organizations representing more than 500,000 healthcare professionals endorsing and promoting the campaign.
Online teaching materials and checklists have been posted on the Image Gently Web site for use by interventional radiologists, medical physicists, radiologic technologists, nurses, and anesthesiologists. The information is designed to provide real-world, practical guidance to keep radiation dose administered to pediatric patients as low as possible.
A brochure for patients and parents designed to describe interventional radiology and answer questions is also on the Web site. Radiology departments are encouraged to download and distribute it to their patients.
Related Reading
IAEA study finds that interventional dose may be too high, August 5, 2009
NFQ report endorses Image Gently campaign, March 30, 2009
Image Gently organizers look ahead on one-year anniversary: Part 1, February 9, 2009
Image Gently campaign targets parents for 2009 initiative, February 3, 2009
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