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CAMRT in the News

About CT Scans: a Medical Radiation Technologist perspective

The recent publication of research on the correlation between high doses of radiation from CT scans and increased incidence of cancer published in the Archives of Internal Medicine  and the New England Journal of Medicine has generated significant media interest and alarmed patients who have undergone such a scan or are scheduled to receive one.

Medical radiation technologists (MRTs) are the highly trained professionals who, at the request of a physician, produce diagnostic images including computerized tomography (CT) scans, which are detailed cross-sectional images of the body.  The Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT), the certifying and professional body for MRTs in Canada, offers the following information to assist the public and media to better understand the administration of CT scans in a Canadian context.

1. CT scans in Canada are generally performed in established healthcare facilities, such as hospitals and cancer centres, and in some regulated private clinics, by qualified and certified MRTs, at the request of a physician or other authorized healthcare professional.   
2. In Canada, these are not discretionary tests and must be ordered by a physician, whereas in some U. S environments, scans can be obtained by patient request.
3. The number of CT scans conducted per person in Canada is approximately half of the amount performed in the United States, and close to the number per person in other industrialized countries.
4. Canadian MRTs are guided in their practice by federal and provincial guidelines and in some instances provincial regulation as well as regulations on occupational health and safety. Canadian physicians use guidelines for appropriate testing/scanning developed by the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR).
5. Canadian facilities typically have quality assurance/risk management programs that address radiation safety practices.
6. Health Canada’s Safety Code 35 provides specific guidance to radiological facilities in the areas of:
   • minimizing patient exposure to ionizing radiation while ensuring the necessary diagnostic information is obtained and treatment provided;
   • ensuring adequate protection of personnel operating X-ray equipment; ,
   • ensuring adequate protection of other personnel and the general public in the vicinity of areas where X-ray equipment is used, and
   • performing quality control tests on all imaging  equipment including CT scanners, on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis
7. Canadian education standards for MRTs are high. Students receive significant training in radiobiology and protection and methods to reduce dose as they prepare to meet the rigourous requirements for entry to practice as certified medical radiation technologists.  CAMRT competency profiles are the basis for education and entry to practice for MRTs, both of which strongly emphasize radiation health and safety.
8. MRTs serve as patient advocates. They collaborate with ordering physicians to ensure that tests are appropriate for the patient’s needs, and that dose levels are in line with the primary directive of the medical radiation technology profession, the ALARA principle regarding radiation dose - As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA).
9. Technologists’ advanced knowledge of anatomy, knowledge of the proper use of CT equipment and their skills in precise scanning ensure that the amount of the body being scanned during a procedure is as limited as possible.
10. The Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT) supports its members with continuing professional development programs and advocacy initiatives that promote the safest practices and dose reduction in CT scanning ensuring effective and efficient patient management practices.  
11. CAMRT is a member of Image Gently, an initiative of the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging. CAMRT has taken on a leadership role to promote Image Gently’s goal to create awareness of the opportunities to lower and limit dose in the CT imaging of children without compromising the diagnostic quality   with physicians, healthcare professionals and parents in Canada. 

About medical radiation technologists

MRTs are integral members of the healthcare team who perform diagnostic imaging examinations and administer radiation therapy treatments. They choose to specialize in one or more of the four disciplines of medical imaging and radiation science: general radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine, or radiation therapy.  Upon completion of a Canadian Medical Association (CMA) accredited education program that includes both didactic and clinical components at a college or university, graduates are well versed in the application of imaging and therapeutic technologies. Their course of study includes anatomy, patient positioning, examination techniques, equipment protocols, radiation safety, radiation protection and patient care. Once they have completed their formal education, they are eligible to write the national certification examination administered by the CAMRT.  Internationally-educated MRTs must have graduated from an educational program that is assessed to be substantially similar to a CMA-accredited program and must also pass the CAMRT certification examination in their field of specialization.

For more information and to arrange a media interview, please contact:
Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists
(CAMRT)
Leacy O'Callaghan-O'Brien
Director of Advocacy, Communications and Events
613-234-0012 ext. 230 or 1-800-463-9729 ext. 230