The British Institute of Radiology (BIR) announced its support of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges' Choosing Wisely campaign.
The initiative is designed to encourage doctors to avoid overmedicating or overimaging patients and potentially exposing them to unnecessary radiation and other side effects.
The BIR is also endorsing the new European Union directive to increase the education of physicians throughout their training in medical radiation issues.
In making the announcements, the BIR noted that safeguards currently in place within imaging include the following:
- Radiologists must justify each medical exposure based upon a patient's specific condition using a risk/benefit strategy.
- Radiologists and nuclear medicine physicians receive appropriate training, including Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IRMER) training and certification by the Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee (ARSAC).
