Global health leaders convene at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna this week to advance radiation safety in medicine.
The International Conference on Radiation Protection in Medicine: X Ray Vision , organized by the IAEA and co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), brings together experts to review global developments in radiation protection and safety of patients and health professionals, as well as discussing future challenges and opportunities.
"New imaging technologies, radiopharmaceuticals, digital systems and AI are transforming clinical practice. These advances bring enormous benefits, but they also change exposure patterns and create new challenges for regulators and health professionals," said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi at the opening ceremony.
"We must keep up to ensure these advancements and new technologies are employed safely. Initiatives like IAEA's Rays of Hope are helping broaden access to these technologies while strengthening capacity worldwide."
Medical imaging and radiotherapy are essential for diagnosing and treating diseases. Each year, more than 4.2 billion medical radiological examinations and 6.2 million radiation therapy treatments are performed globally. Demand for these procedures continues to rise worldwide.
Ensuring robust radiation protection and safety standards are vital to support protection of patients, workers and the public from harmful effects of ionizing radiation.
Building on a decade of action
The conference on radiation protection in medicine marks a milestone in assessing progress since the Bonn Call for Action , launched in 2012 to strengthen global radiation protection in medicine. Over the past decade, international and scientific organizations, regulators and professional societies have worked to implement its ten priority actions. These include improving justification — protecting patients from unnecessary exposures — and optimization — using the optimal radiation dose to achieve the clinical goal — to enhancing education and training.
The conference aims to help shape a shared vision to strengthen radiation protection and safety in medicine for the future. Participants will review current trends and patterns and, together, create a call to action to advance radiation protection over the next decade as the medical landscape evolves.
The week-long event will gather more than 650 participants from over 120 countries and 22 international organizations.
Advancing radiation safety in medicine
The conference will feature dynamic and cross-cutting sessions and roundtable discussions. Topics include ensuring the appropriate use of radiation in medical procedures, enhancing protection for patients and staff during diagnostic and therapeutic applications, and artificial intelligence in imaging and therapy.
"Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies are transforming radiation protection through faster data analysis, predictive modelling, and real-time monitoring," said Rüdiger Krech, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change, One Health and Migration of the World Heath Organization. "Yet, our collective responsibility is to ensure these breakthroughs are equitably accessible so that all regions can benefit from technological progress in safeguarding patients' health."
Participants will also examine lessons learned from unintended and accidental exposures and explore practical approaches to strengthen safety culture across medical environments.
Regional perspectives
"In the Americas, as in many other regions, the demand for medical services that use ionizing radiation continues to rise, presenting unique challenges at all levels," said Pablo Jiménez, PAHO's Senior Advisor in Radiological Health. "Robust quality assurance programmes, supported by well-trained medical professionals, are essential to maximize benefits and minimize radiation risks of these services. We must ensure that the incorporation of these technologies into health systems translates into a safer care for all achieving optimal health outcomes."
The Role of the IAEA
The IAEA develops and promotes international safety standards for radiation protection in medical applications. It supports Member States in applying these standards in areas such as radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, and diagnostic imaging to minimize unnecessary and unintended exposure while ensuring effective patient care and without jeopardizing medical outcomes. The IAEA provides guidance and training to support the implementation of best practices and strengthen safety culture in healthcare settings.
