Training initiative on CT technology and dose optimization

With 80 participants of 24 nationalities, the school accredited by EBAMP (European Board of Accreditation for Medical Physics) aimed at training of medical physicists on advanced tasks connected with Computed Tomography. The European Coordination Committee of the Radiological, Electromedical and Healthcare IT Industry (COCIR) and the European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP) jointly organised the school in collaboration with the Czech Association of Medical Physicists and the Department of Dosimetry and Application of Ionizing Radiation of the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague.

During the event, held in Prague on 25 – 27 January 2018, lecturers from COCIR Member companies, presented insights on the technical solutions adopted by manufacturers in the relevant fields of CT dose reduction and optimisation, CT dosimetry and protocol design.
During the first day, lecturers presented the different technical solutions adopted by the manufacturers regarding tube current modulation systems and iterative reconstruction methods, the two most significant innovations of the past two decades. Lectures were followed by a one-hour discussion with a vivid audience where participants had the opportunity to have deep insights in the aforementioned methods.

During the second day manufacturers explained in detail the current line of research for already existing technologies like dual source CT and for prototypes like photon counting CT detectors. The principles and theoretical aspects at the basis of such developments were discussed.

The last session was devoted to the optimisation of CT acquisition protocols according to specific clinical indications. The session was opened by the EFOMP President, who gave an extensive review on the way of optimising protocols on the basis of clinical indications, followed by the manufacturer’s point of view on the same subject. Distinguished medical physicists from EFOMP, manufacturers identified by COCIR and the chair of ESR board of directors Prof. Paul Parizel took part in a round table discussion focused on the interaction between different specialities.

This very successful school edition conveyed this key message: The multidisciplinary approach is the only efficient way to manage existing technologies and to face upcoming technological and scientific innovations and advances. The intention of the ESMPE board is to progress on this promising strategy of multi stakeholder involvement in the organisation of future editions of the school.

COCIR and EFOMP, following their Memorandum of Understanding signed in March 2017, are confident that this first initiative contributed to advancing the best use of medical technology involving ionizing radiation for the betterment of health care.

Source: COCIR

08.02.2018

• cooperation (347)
• CT (574)
• management (218)
• radiation protection (182)
• radiology (677)