About
Canada Safe Imaging (CSI) was formed in 2015 to address the need for a national strategy and action plan in Canada, to strengthen medical radiation protection in patients and foster a culture of radiation safety in healthcare in Canada.
CSI represents a collaborative undertaking between government agencies, professional associations, universities, colleges, national research institutions and hospitals. Within each sector, a multi-disciplinary approach has also been adopted, involving partners, researchers, technologists, medical and health physicists and other health care providers using or prescribing the use of radiation.
Canada Safety Imaging is part of a network of radiation safety campaigns worldwide under the auspices of the International Society of Radiology.
Mission
To provide Canadian contextualized guidelines and tools for patient radiation safety.
Responsibilities
- Promote knowledge translation and adoption of and adherence to good radiation safety practices and standards as they relate to the Canadian medical environment
- Undertake future potential strategies and initiatives to enhance medical imaging radiation safety and care
- Shape and promote a strategic research agenda for radiation protection of patients in Canada
Context
Today’s medical imaging technologies provide unprecedented visibility into the body. As medical imaging technologies and techniques continue to evolve rapidly so has their utilization and subsequent exposure of patients to ionizing radiation.
Even if the technology has significantly improved and doses of radiation have decreased, the risk of exposure did not disappear and needs to be taken into consideration when tests using ionizing radiations are prescribed. As many things we take for granted, we don’t see any more the risks attached to the technology as it becomes part of our life. But there is a need to remain vigilant, raise awareness and educate healthcare professionals and population at large about the risks and benefits of ionizing radiations in medicine.
In 2012 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) launched an initiative that was supported by 77 countries and 16 organizations, titled the “Bonn Call For Action,” which outlines ten major strategies for promoting radiation protection. In response, a new campaign was formed, which brings together many stakeholders to strengthen medical radiation protection across Canada following an inclusive approach. The delivery of health care is a provincial responsibility, but a focused national strategy and a unified effort is needed to ensure radiation safety in medical imaging for all Canadians.
Canada Safe Imaging (CSI) was formed to address this need for a national strategy and action plan as it relates to radiation safety for medical imaging care in Canada. Our Leadership
Our Leadership
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is composed of representatives of the major founding organizations.
Canada Safe Imaging (CSI)
David A. Koff
Chair, Canada Safe Imaging
Director, MIIRCAM
Professor Emeritus, McMaster University
Patrick Rogalla
Co-Chair, Canada Safe Imaging
Head, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Division
Site Director, Toronto General Hospital
Director, Computed Tomography
Professor, Joint Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto
Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT)
Gina McRae
Provincial Manager, Alberta
Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP)
Peter Watson
Medical Physicist, McGill University Health Centre
Assistant Professor, Medical Physics Unit and Department of Oncology, McGill University
Radiation Safety Institute of Canada
Natalia Mozayani
President and CEO
University of Manitoba
Sandor Demeter
Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Science, University of Manitoba
University of Waterloo
Helen Chen
Associate Director, Professional Practice Centre for Health Systems
Professor of Practice, University of Waterloo
Our Community
Participating Organisations
- Association des radiologistes du Québec
- Canada Health Infoway
- Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists
- Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine
- Canadian Association of Radiologists
- Canadian Cardiovascular Society
- Canadian Association for Interventional Radiology
- Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists
- Canadian Partnership Against Cancer
- Centre d’Expertise Clinique en Radioprotection
- Choosing Wisely
- MEDEC
- Ontario Association of Medical Radiation Sciences
- Ordre des technologues en imagerie médicale et en radio-oncologie et électrophysiologie médicale du Québec
- Radiation Safety Institute of Canada
- Canadian Heads of Academic Radiology
- Canadian Radiological Foundation
Contact Us
Dr. David Koff, Chair – dkoff@mcmaster.ca