Environmentally Sustainable Radiology (2025)-WEB01-2025

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this RS&E webinar on environmentally sustainable radiology, Dr. Kate Hanneman and Dr. Sean Lillen discuss the intersection of planetary health and radiology, emphasizing the industry's environmental impacts. They explain the concept of scope emissions, highlighting the substantial greenhouse gas contributions from radiology, particularly from energy-intensive modalities like MRI and CT. Strategies such as powering down equipment during non-use periods, creating efficient scanning operations, optimizing HVAC settings, switching to reusable materials, and upgrading old equipment are proposed to reduce emissions and waste. Dr. Lillen's five actionable steps to improve sustainability include implementing energy-saving protocols without compromising healthcare quality. They stress the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and leveraging patient voices in guiding sustainable practices. The conversation underscores reframing environmental challenges as opportunities for improvement within radiology. The webinar aims to inspire positive change by promoting sustainable radiology practices that benefit both the environment and healthcare sectors, urging participants to act on any feasible changes to initiate a broader impact.

Keywords

sustainable radiology

planetary health

environmental impact

scope emissions

greenhouse gas

energy-saving protocols

interdisciplinary collaboration

reusable materials

healthcare quality