A radiology practice emits as much greenhouse gases as 1,100 cars

A hospital radiology practice emits as many greenhouse gases as nearly 1,100 petroleum-powered cars in a single year, according to a new study.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s imaging equipment was responsible for more than half of the department’s emissions, with MRI accounting for 48%. The findings come from a 10-year study of the Nashville, Tenn.-based facility’s energy use, published in RSNA radiology.

Experts believe the analysis provides important clues as providers seek to reduce their carbon footprint and control costs.

“Our study is a critical step toward understanding the full environmental impact of radiology,” said Dr. Diana Carver, associate professor of radiology and principal investigator of the study, in a Dec. 1 statement notice from Philips, which was also involved in the investigation. “Identifying a range of factors that contribute to radiology’s carbon footprint means we can develop targeted strategies to reduce emissions without impacting patient care.”

Previous studies of this type have only examined energy consumption for imaging devices, monitors and other processes. However, they have neither looked at the entire range of services provided by a radiology department nor their impact on the entire life cycle. The investigation also included material extraction, manufacturing, transportation and lifespan of products used in the radiology department at VUMC. Nuclear medicine, interventional radiology, and breast imaging were not covered.

Carver and colleagues found that clinical use of imaging equipment across all modalities was responsible for 54% of the department’s greenhouse gas emissions. After MRI, CT took second place (24%), while other notable contributions included X-ray and fluoroscopy (12%) and ultrasound (4%). Those involved were also surprised to find that workstation PACS and data storage accounted for 12% of the total, and linen production and laundry accounted for another 10%.

“What stands out to me is the level of detail with which we can examine and change energy consumption patterns,” said John R. Scheel, MD, PhD, professor of radiology and vice chair for global health in the department, in the same announcement. “An important finding, for example, is that the majority of our CO2 emissions during CT occurred when we were not imaging patients – i.e. during downtime. Now we can work with colleagues to reduce our waste per patient by imaging more patients in one scheduling block.”

More information about the results can be found in the flagship journal of the Radiological Society of North America Here.