Every year, the CAR Journal (CARJ) publishes high-quality studies from radiologists and researchers and selects a stand-out publication as the Editor’s Award for Best Paper.
The entire CARJ editorial team is pleased to announce the 2025 winning publication: Quantitative Assessment of Computed Tomography Energy Use and Cost Savings Through Overnight and Weekend Power Down in a Radiology Department.
Dr. Maura Brown was a lead author on the study that tracked CT energy usage and says the authors are extremely grateful to the Editorial Committee for selecting their study.
“It is a real honour to be elected among the many high-quality scientific papers that are published every year in the CARJ,” said Dr. Brown. “Given that Radiology is inherently resource-intensive and responsible for approximately 0.8-1% of global emissions, it’s vital that we explore and promote opportunities to reduce our environmental footprint. This topic is highly relevant to the future of medical imaging.”
The study showed that placing a CT scanner into a lower power mode during no-operational hours can significantly reduce electricity use, associated costs, and greenhouse gases, with no impact on patient care.
“These environmental benefits are especially pronounced in regions where electricity is generated from fossil fuels,” said Dr. Brown. “However, even in areas powered by hydro or other renewable energy sources, reducing unnecessary electricity use frees resources to be used elsewhere across the power grid.”
As the CAR strives to better understand the environmental impacts of medical imaging globally, it is critical to study the power usage of individual machines and how it can be managed.
“While the energy and cost savings from powering down a single CT scanner may appear modest, the cumulative impact across institutions and regions is substantial,” Dr. Brown pointed out. “This work highlights a broader opportunity for radiologists to lead efforts in sustainability-whether through energy use, reduction of single-use plastics, or other practices-ultimately helping to reduce the environmental impact of medical imaging.”
Congratulations to Dr. Maura Brown and the following authors on this achievement:
- Dr. Bruce Forster
- Mr. Eric Snelling
- Mr. Moises De Alba
- Dr. Ghazal Ebrahimi