Planetary Health and Radiology: Why We Should Care and What We Can Do

Area of Science:

• Planetary Health
• Environmental Sustainability in Medicine
• Radiology and Climate Change

Background:

• Climate change poses significant risks to human and planetary well-being.
• A planetary health framework links environmental sustainability with human health.
• Radiology's operations, including equipment and supplies, generate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing to the climate crisis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the intersection of planetary health and radiology.
• To emphasize the importance of sustainability in radiology.
• To showcase actionable strategies for mitigating GHG emissions and adapting to climate change impacts within radiology.

Main Methods:

• Review of current practices in radiology concerning environmental impact.
• Identification of mitigation strategies to reduce GHG emissions.
• Identification of adaptation strategies to build resilience to climate change impacts.

Main Results:

• Mitigation strategies include adopting renewable energy, refurbishing equipment, and powering down unused scanners.
• Adaptation strategies involve education, infrastructure upgrades, and sustainability dashboards.
• Coordinated approaches with stakeholders, effective communication, and prioritizing high-impact interventions are key to implementing changes.

Conclusions:

• Radiology must adopt sustainability practices to address its contribution to climate change.
• Mitigation and adaptation strategies are essential for promoting planetary health within the field.
• A coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach is necessary to drive sustainable changes in radiology.