Medical physicists are uniquely positioned to advance sustainability in medical imaging, according to a recent commentary in the JACR highlighting the profession’s technical and collaborative role in imaging operations.

With medical imaging estimated to contribute up to 10% of the healthcare sector’s global greenhouse gas emissions, there is growing recognition that efforts to reduce emissions must be embedded into clinical and operational workflows.

Medical physicists already influence key decisions that impact energy use and waste generation, including equipment procurement, clinical protocol development, and scanner maintenance. Leveraging that position could enable meaningful reductions in imaging’s environmental footprint without compromising diagnostic accuracy or patient safety.
“Medical physicists serve as the technical conduit between imaging systems and physicians,” the authors wrote. “Our extensive knowledge of imaging systems enables us to support equipment procurement, ensure compliance, guide and optimize clinical protocols, and implement software upgrades effectively.”

The article outlines a number of challenges and proposed solutions across four key areas: energy quantification, contrast media waste, energy-efficient operations, and protocol development. Among the recommendations are standardizing scanner mode nomenclature, developing methods for energy metering, and creating public repositories for energy and emissions data. The authors also call for broader adoption of multiuse syringeless contrast injectors and more consistent dosing practices, particularly those that align with patient size and clinical indications.

Operationally, the authors encourage health systems to test and validate energy-saving modes on imaging systems, citing the potential for power reductions during off-hours or between exams. They also advocate for incorporating energy data into clinical decision support tools such as the ACR Appropriateness Criteria.

Although the current focus is on scanners, the commentary suggests future efforts should also address energy use in related infrastructure such as PACS workstations and data centers. Automating scanner boot cycles and enabling real-time monitoring of system energy consumption were also identified as key opportunities.

The authors stress that none of these changes can be implemented in isolation and call for collaboration among professional organizations, manufacturers, and healthcare institutions.

Read the full report here.

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