Radiology Environmental Impact: What Is Known and How Can We Improve?

The healthcare sector generates approximately 10% of the total carbon emissions in the United States. Radiology is thought to be a top contributor to the healthcare carbon footprint due to high energy-consuming devices and waste from interventional procedures. In this article, we provide a background on Radiology's environmental impact, describe why hospitals should add sustainability as a quality mea-sure, and give a framework for radiologists to reduce the carbon footprint through quality improvement and collaboration.

Automated summary

The healthcare sector in the United States is responsible for around 10% of the country's total carbon emissions. Radiology is considered a major contributor to the healthcare carbon footprint due to its use of high energy-consuming devices and the waste generated from interventional procedures. This article provides an overview of the environmental impact of radiology, discusses the importance of incorporating sustainability as a quality measure in hospitals, and offers a framework for radiologists to reduce their carbon footprint through quality improvement and collaboration.