Radiation, Health, Safety and Quality for Youth: A Comprehensive Approach to Justification, Optimisation, and Education

ongoing

The RHYTHM project aims to improve the quality and radiation safety of medical imaging for children, adolescents, and young adults, with a particular focus on CT, SPECT/CT, PET/CT, and CT as part of radiotherapy planning. Recognising the sensitivity of this population to ionising radiation and the critical need for optimised imaging practices, RHYTHM targets key challenges in justification, optimisation, availability, and accessibility of imaging services. These challenges include inappropriate imaging practices, disparities in access to dedicated paediatric imaging equipment, and insufficient education and outreach to healthcare professionals and patients. RHYTHM aims to address these issues through an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach, involving stakeholders from healthcare, industry, regulatory bodies, and patient advocacy groups. Key objectives include the development of evidence-based recommendations for referral guidelines, clinical guidelines, clinical decision support systems, and the development of optimised imaging protocols tailored to paediatric and young adult needs. To achieve this, RHYTHM will utilise innovative tools and a European CT dose and image repository. This repository will enable benchmarking of radiation doses and standardisation of protocols by facilitating direct comparisons of scanner settings and image quality across institutions using similar equipment. The project will also enhance capacity building through the creation of comprehensive education and training curricula tailored to multidisciplinary professional groups. Training materials, vodcasts, and patient case-based resources will be disseminated via platforms like ESR EuroSafe Imaging, ensuring broad accessibility and sustainability. Additionally, RHYTHM will implement outreach campaigns to raise awareness about imaging safety and the benefits of optimised practices among parents, young adults, and healthcare providers.