One solution could be imaging referral guidelines based on local clinical and radiological practice, which can help referring clinicians better understand and communicate to patients when imaging is necessary and when it is not. Integrating them into CDS systems also helps and has already reduced the total number of imaging exams, and increased appropriate imaging in the U.S. Education and training of radiologists and non-radiology practitioners further ensures better radiation safety, as do audits of CDS systems and inspections of clinical practices by regulatory bodies.

“While there is evidence of improvement in European countries, it is essential that complacency does not reverse this trend. Justification is central to the goal of ensuring patient safety and appropriate care while simultaneously achieving better use of imaging facilities, better use of radiologists’ and radiographers’ knowledge and skills within these facilities, and better integration of imaging into the wider provision of healthcare at local and national levels,” wrote the authors.


The findings were published in the European Society of Radiology's journal, Insights into Imaging.

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