Radiation protection in paediatric care

The clinical value of medical use of radiation for the diagnosis and treatment of paediatric illness and injury is unquestionable. The benefits of radiological medical procedures far outweigh the radiation risks when these procedures are appropriately prescribed and properly performed. Justification of procedures and optimization of protection are particularly critical in children because:

children are especially vulnerable to environmental threats, such as ionizing radiation;
children are expected to have longer a life-span to develop long-term radiation-induced health effects; and
when using ionizing radiation for medical imaging , such as CT scans, children might receive a higher radiation dose than necessary if the settings are not adjusted for their smaller body size.

Radiation risk communication in paediatric imaging

Health care providers need sufficient background, education and resources to communicate clearly and effectively about the benefits and risks of medical imaging procedures. Tools for radiation risk communication can support benefit-risk dialogue between health professionals, patients, and families to help them make informed decisions. WHO is conducting a project on radiation risk communication focused on paediatric imaging.

1st WHO International Workshop on Radiation Risk Communication in Paediatric Imaging (Geneva, Switzerland, September 2010) gathering 35 participants from 23 professional societies, international and regional organizations and United Nations (UN) agencies, with representatives of key stakeholders.
2nd WHO International Workshop on Radiation Risk Communication in Paediatric Imaging (December 2012, Bonn, Germany) gathering 56 participants from 19 countries and 12 international organizations, with representatives of key stakeholders. Workshop.
WHO-WONCA workshop on the Role of Family Doctors in Communicating Radiation Risks in Paediatric Imaging (June 2013, Prague, Czech Republic).
WHO-NIRS International Dialogue Seminar on Radiation Risk Communication for Medical Practitioners (December 2014 Tokyo, Japan).

Bonn International Workshop on Radiation Risk Communication in Paediatric Imaging report
pdf, 728kb

A tool on radiation risk communication to support benefit-risk dialogue in paediatric imaging

Patients and families should have access to risk-benefit discussions about paediatric imaging when, where, and in the way they need to best understand the information and to be able to use it for making informed choices. Accurate and effective radiation risk communication is also necessary between health care providers who request or perform radiological medical procedures in children. By enabling informed decision-making, effective radiation risk communication contributes to ensure the greatest possible benefit of paediatric imaging, at the lowest possible risk.

The document “Communicating radiation risks in paediatric imaging- Information to support health care discussions about benefit and risk” is intended to serve as a tool for health care providers to communicate known or potential radiation risks associated with paediatric imaging procedures, to support risk-benefit dialogue in health care settings.

Communicating radiation risks in paediatric imaging

Imaging for saving kids: the inside story about patient safety in paediatric radiology

A side event was co-organized by four Member States during the 68th World Health Assembly (May 2015, Geneva, Switzerland) to raise awareness about the importance of radiation safety and advocate for appropriate use of medical imaging in children. The meeting was co-facilitated by nine nongovernmental organizations in official relations with the WHO. Policy-makers, health-care providers, equipment manufacturers and patients came together to discuss the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships to improve justification and optimization radiological procedures in children. Promotion of the Bonn Call for Action, implementation of the international radiation basic safety standards, as well as collaboration with stakeholders were highlighted as different means to improve safety and quality of patient care.