In recent years veterinary procedures that make use of ionising radiation have increased in numbers and have diversified considerably. From the ICRP TG107 report to the Main Commission in October, 2018, it is clear that there is little difference between the use of ionizing radiation in humans and in animals for either diagnostic imaging or radiation therapy. Digitalisation of planar X-ray procedures, CT-scanning, interventional radiology applications, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine procedures are all accompanied by greater potential radiation risks than the plain film-screen X-rays we have known in previous decades. The changes in these practices have made radiation protection in veterinary applications of ionizing radiation more challenging. Provision of the Commission’s recommendations, as they apply to veterinary applications, will therefore be useful for all relevant parties.
The mandate of this Task Group is to advise the Main Commission on radiological protection aspects involved in the applications of ionising radiation in veterinary medicine. As such, this includes treatment of occupational and public exposure of humans as it relates to delivery of veterinary care, and radiological protection considerations for the animals receiving such care. The Task Group is to also consider the risks resulting from contamination of the environment from the applications of nuclear medicine in veterinary medicine. The TG will include the ethical considerations underlying various types of veterinary practice, and the ethics applied to protection of animals and plants in the environment. The Task Group will use the approach previously used for ICRP Publications 105 and 121 as a starting point for organization of the work and topics. It is recognized that this publication will provide initial guidance and set the stage for additional considerations that may be appropriate.
| Nicole Martinez (Co-Chair), Clemson University, USA | ||
| Aste Sovik (Co-Chair), Under Pelsen AS, Norway | ||
| Lajos Balogh (Member), Hungary | ||
| Jerome Benoit (Member), Oncovet, France | ||
| Sarah Dorling (Member), United Kingdom | ||
| Jennifer Gambino (Member), USA | ||
| Debbie Gilley (Member), USA | ||
| Masahiro Natsuhori (Member), Japan | ||
| R. Jan Pentreath (Member), United Kingdom | ||
| Kathelijne Peremans (Member), University Ghent, Belgium | ||
| Elissa Randall (Member), USA | ||
| Catherine Roy (Member), ALARA RISK, France | ||
| Ignacia Tanaka (Member), Institute for Environmental Sciences (IES), Japan | ||
| Lodewijk Van Bladel (Member), Belgium | ||
| Constantinos Zervides (Technical Secretary), Mediterranean Hospital of Cyprus, Cyprus |