The IAEA organized a workshop on Radiation Protection in Paediatric Imaging from 9th to 13th November 2015, in Nairobi, Kenya, under Regional Technical Cooperation Project RAF9053. Participants from 19 member states in Africa participated in both didactic and hands-on training to improve their understanding of methodologies that can be used to optimize radiation exposure of children.
Experts in the field of paediatric radiology provided participants with information on the use of imaging referral guidelines. These guidelines based on clinical indication can be used to assure that children receive the most appropriate imaging examination. This is especially true when there are many choices for referring physicians. Referring physicians and radiologists should consult each other in order to identify the best examination.
Once this is identified, the radiologists, radiologic technologists or radiographers with the support of diagnostic medical physicists can determine the best exposure techniques to meet the needs for the radiologists to interpret the examination while also optimizing the radiation exposure to the patients. Demonstrations of these activities were conducted at Kenyatta Hospital for radiographic procedures and Computed Tomography.
This workshop was supported by the IAEA Department of Technical Cooperation, Africa Division and the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety Division; the Government of Kenya and the Kenyatta Hospital in Nairobi.