Presenters at the meeting included representatives from Alliance organizations as well as from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and MITA. Medical imaging vendors represented at the meeting were GE Healthcare, Philips Healthcare, Siemens Medical Systems and Toshiba America Medical Systems.

Meeting participants produced a list of recommendations for application specialists who train technologists to use CT equipment:


* Encourage application specialists to teach the key messages of the Image Gently campaign
* Provide training for all technologists, not just managers.
* Provide online materials for technologists who can't attend in-person training.
* Develop uniform language to discuss technological concepts.
* Provide listservs or discussion boards for additional help.
* Leave behind information about strategies to reduce dose for children.
* Involve medical physicists with applications trainers to help with dose reduction techniques.
* Share information about the Image Gently campaign with those whom they train.

Greg Morrison, M.S., R.T.(R), CNMT, executive vice president and chief knowledge officer of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, noted that of approximately 50,000 radiologic technologists who perform CT scans, only about 23,000 are certified in CT.

"We need to give CT technologists additional training so technologists understand the implication of any changes they make to the scan protocols land how it impacts radiation dose for children" said Morrison. "For example, we want technologists to know that the lowest radiation dose is when the patient is perfectly centered within the gantry. These are things we could teach and implement very quickly."

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About the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging

The Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging is comprised of 29 organizations working together to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure from imaging examinations in children. It represents more than 500,000 health care professionals. Through its Image Gently campaign, the Alliance is raising awareness about the need to "child-size" radiation exposure. The Image Gently Web site, www.imagegently.org, provides recommendations, protocol guidance and a worksheet for reducing radiation dose during pediatric CT scans. When properly implemented, these guidelines will significantly reduce the risk of harm to pediatric patients.

Alliance Founding Organizations:

The Society for Pediatric Radiology

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