Image Gently Steering Committee Members to Highlight Pediatric Imaging Concerns at FDA Public Meeting on Radiation Exposure from Medical Imaging

Image Gently Steering Committee Members to Highlight Pediatric Imaging Concerns at FDA Public Meeting on Radiation Exposure from Medical Imaging

Washington, DC – Marilyn Goske, MD, chair of the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging and Silverman Chair for Radiology Education at Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center, along with several key members of the Image Gentlysm Steering Committee will highlight the unique concerns associated with the imaging of children at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Public Meeting: Device Improvement to Reduce Unnecessary Radiation Exposure from Medical Imaging March 30-31, 2010 in Gaithersburg, MD.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss steps that could be taken by manufacturers of devices used in CT and fluoroscopy that would reduce unnecessary patient exposure to ionizing radiation during CT and fluoroscopic procedures. Each day will be divided into two sessions. Day one will focus on equipment features that manufacturers should incorporate in CT scanners (morning) and fluoroscopes (afternoon) to reduce unnecessary exposure. Day two will focus on steps manufacturers should take to improve training of individuals who use these devices (morning) and steps to improve quality assurance at medical imaging facilities with respect to these two modalities (afternoon).

Others to speak on behalf of Image Gently include:

· Marta Hernanz Schulman, MD, FACR, leader of the upcoming fluoroscopic component of the Image Gently campaign, Medical Director, Diagnostic Imaging, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, and chair of the American College of Radiology (ACR) Commission on Pediatric Radiology’s Guidelines and Standards Committee
· Donald P. Frush, MD, FACR, Image Gently Steering Committee Member, Chief, Division of Pediatric Radiology, Duke Univ. Medical Center, and chair of the ACR Pediatric Radiology Commission
· Keith Strauss, MS, FACR, Image Gently Steering Committee Member, director of Radiology Physics and Engineering at Children’s Hospital Boston, and member of the ACR Subcommittee on Radiation Exposure
· Greg Morrison, M.A., R.T.(R), CNMT, chief operating officer of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists

About the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging

Founded by the Society for Pediatric Radiology, the American College of Radiology, the American Society of Radiologic Technologists and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging is comprised of 54 organizations working together to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure from imaging examinations in children. It represents more than 600,000 health care professionals.

For more information or to speak to an Alliance spokesperson, please contact Shawn Farley at 703-648-8936 or sfarley@acr-arrs.org .