History

The LATINSAFE initiative was conceived for the first time during the 45th São Paulo Radiological meeting (JPR), held in May 2015, in São Paulo, Brazil. The central theme of the event, organized by the Radiological Society of São Paulo (SPR) was “Diagnostic Imaging in the correct dose”, emphasizing the radiation protection of patients.

During the Congress, a panel of experts analyzed strategies to reduce and optimize the radiation dose. Once the session ended, a group of panelists met and decided to create LATINSAFE, a Latin American Alliance dedicated to advocating “the reduction and optimization of radiation doses in Latin America.” The radiologists of Argentina (Alfredo Buzzi), Brazil (Antonio Soares Souza, Pedro A. Daltro and Renato Adam Mendonça), Chile (Pablo Soffia) and the USA (George Bisset, María Inés Boechat, and Donald Frush) participated in this first meeting.

A second meeting took place on September 12, during the Congress of the Argentine Society of Radiology (SAR), held in Buenos Aires. Drs. Alfredo Buzzi, Antonio José da Rocha, Antonio Soares Souza, Pablo Soffia and Renato Adam Mendonça took part in it. The need to define the legal situation of the Alliance was raised, and short-term goals were established.

During the Chilean Congress of Radiology, held in Santiago from October 15 to 17, 2015, a new meeting of the working group was held and there was a seminar on the optimization of radiation dose in CT, aimed at pediatricians of children’s hospitals.

On the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Radiology (IDOR 2015), some of the regional activities were carried out under the LATINSAFE umbrella, such as lectures highlighting the importance of reducing the TC dose and optimizing the pediatricians in the pediatric hospitals.

During the RSNA Annual Conference in 2015, LATINSAFE held meetings with Image Wisely and Image Gently. Representatives attended a meeting organized by the International Society of Radiology (ISR) that brought together the different continental and regional radiological protection campaigns with the aim of exchanging information, experiences and ideas. The participants in this meeting were: Canada SAFE, Japan SAFE, Afro SAFE, Euro SAFE, Image Wisely, Image Gently and the International Society of Radiology.