1. Canadian Association of Radiologists Statement on Environmental Sustainability in Medical Imaging.
- Author
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Hanneman K, Szava-Kovats A, Burbridge B, Leswick D, Nadeau B, Islam O, Lee EJY, Harris A, Hamel C, and Brown MJ
- Subjects
- Humans, Canada, Radiologists, Societies, Medical, Climate Change, Conservation of Natural Resources, Diagnostic Imaging standards, Radiology organization & administration, Radiology standards
- Abstract
Immediate and strategic action is needed to improve environmental sustainability and reduce the detrimental effects of climate change. Climate change is already adversely affecting the health of Canadians related to worsening air pollution and wildfire smoke, increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, and expansion of vector-borne and infectious illnesses. On one hand, radiology contributes to the climate crisis by generating greenhouse gas emissions and waste during the production, manufacture, transportation, and use of medical imaging equipment and supplies. On the other hand, radiology departments are also susceptible to equipment and infrastructure damage from flooding, extreme temperatures, and power failures, as well as workforce shortages due to injury and illness, potentially disrupting radiology services and increasing costs. The Canadian Association of Radiologists' (CAR) advocacy for environmentally sustainable radiology in Canada encompasses both minimizing the detrimental effects that delivery of radiology services has on the environment and optimizing the resilience of radiology departments to increasing health needs and changing patterns of disease on imaging related to climate change. This statement provides specific recommendations and pathways to help guide radiologists, medical imaging leadership teams, industry partners, governments, and other key stakeholders to transition to environmentally sustainable, net-zero, and climate-resilient radiology organizations. Specific consideration is given to unique aspects of medical imaging in Canada. Finally, environmentally sustainable radiology programs, policies, and achievements in Canada are highlighted., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: KH: Co-Chair CAR Environmental Sustainability Working Group; Deputy Lead Sustainability, JDMI; Chair, ISMRM Environmental Sustainability Working Group; Member, RSNA Sustainability Task Force; Member, AUR Sustainability Committee; Associate Editor, Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal. AH: Regional Department Head, Medical Imaging VCH and PHC; Vice-President, Canadian Association of Radiologists. MJB: Co-Chair CAR Environmental Sustainability Working Group; Co-Chair BC Cancer Planetary Health Unit; Member, AUR Sustainability Committee; Member, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.
- Published
- 2025
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