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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is organizing the Second International Conference on Applications of Radiation Science and Technology (ICARST-2022), following the success of the first ICARST in 2017.

The ICARST-2022 conference will provide a unique opportunity to achieve the following specific objectives:

– to review key developments in the applications of radiation science and technology as well as the „state of the science” in this field;

– to review national, regional and global initiatives for implementing proven industrial applications that lead to socio-economic benefits and strengthen capacity building in Member States; and

– to serve as a composite platform through which industry and academia can foster new initiatives for ensuring the success of radiation technologies in meeting the emerging challenges in various areas.

A series of plenary sessions will address the topics of the conference, and the conference programme will include invited keynote speakers from academia and industry, giving oral presentations and participating in panel discussions. In addition, poster sessions will be organized to allow ample time for discussion and interaction among participants. Finally, a closing round table session will review the main conclusions drawn in the plenary sessions and will summarize recommendations for the future development of radiation sciences and technologies.

This conference will focus on applications of radiation science and technology, which is a multidisciplinary area covering many branches including radiation-related physics, chemistry, materials science, biology, engineering and industrial applications.

The conference will be held as an in-person event, with the possibility of remote connection.

• Persons who wish to attend the conference virtually through the conference and meetings App should register using the Observer Registration Virtual Attendance link: https://dash.superevent.com/clients/registration/?event_id=5545

• Persons who would like to follow the conference without actively taking part and without registering can do so via the Live Video Stream, which will be made available on the conference website: https://www.iaea.org/events/icarst-2022

We cordially invite you to watch the lecture entitled „A case for the effective use of iRefer radiology referral guidelines and clinical decision support software to help improve patient care and health system efficiencies” by Yash Chitale from The Royal College of Radiologists and Martin Kepa from MedCurrent Corporation, delivered at the PJOMED 2022 conference in Lodz, Poland, on June 6, 2022.

The lecture is available on the NCRPHC youtube channel: https://youtu.be/KrP-SQcTfn0

The 13th National Conference “Ionising Radiation in Medicine” PJOMED 2022 took place on 6-7 June 2022 in the hybrid format: at the Didactic and Conference Centre of the European Institute in Łódź and online – on a dedicated web platform. Modern format of the PJOMED 2022 Conference enabled active participation in discussions and the exchange of experiences and views on the subject-matter at hand. All lectures were translated simultaneously. Online participants could follow live streaming and choose the interpretation channel (English or Polish).

Honorary Patrons of the event were: the Minister of Health, the President of the National Atomic Energy Agency, National Consultant for radiology and diagnostic imaging, National Consultant for nuclear medicine, the President of the Polish Society of Nuclear Medicine, and the President of the Polish Medical Society of Radiology.

The PJOMED conference is a cyclical event organised by the National Centre for Radiation Protection in Health Care and aims to raise awareness of the use of ionising radiation in medicine.

This year’s edition of the conference covered the following topics, among others: ethics for radiation protection in medicine: fundamentals and international developments; online tools in the form of a dedicated guidelines website (iRefer) available free of charge for all physicians and clinicians to select the appropriate imaging test for a specific clinical case as well as clinical decision support software (CDS); the role of the IAEA to promote safe use of ionising radiation in medicine; perspectives of clinical internal dosimetry; breast cancer prevention programme. The event also addressed the topic of unintended and accidental exposure as well as current medical exposure in Poland. The system of clinical audits in Poland was presented with respect to the Act Atomic Law and previous experience. Traditionally, the conference program included a panel on the experiences of quality control laboratories. In reference to the current geopolitical situation in Europe and the ongoing military operations in Ukraine, the topic of radiation hazards resulting from armed conflicts was also raised.

The event was attended by speakers from Poland and other countries. Lectures were delivered, inter alia, by: Jenia Vassileva from International Atomic Energy Agency; Jim Malone from Trinity College St James’s Hospital, Robert Boyle Foundation, Dublin;  Yash Chitale from The Royal College of Radiologists in London, Martin Kepa from MedCurrent Corporation, Canada, Karol Łyskawiński from Radiation Emergency Centre, National Atomic Energy Agency, Paweł Kukołowicz  from Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology.

Dariusz Kluszczyński, Director of the National Centre for Radiation Protection in Health Care gave the opening speech and read the letter addressed to the participants of the Conference by the Minister of Health. The introduction speeches were given by Adam Wieczorek, Vice President of Łódź, by Leszek Królicki, National Consultant for nuclear medicine and, on the second day, by Krzysztof Składowski, National Consultant for Radiation Oncology.

PJOMED 2022 conference was attended by more than 150 persons. Participants included supervisors who perform and supervise medical radiology procedures, i.e. physicians, electro-radiology technicians and medical physicists as well as the employees of the State Sanitary Inspection, radiation protection inspectors, employees of accredited laboratories, representatives of: Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Health Department of the Lodz Voivodeship Office, academic units from Lodz  and representatives of health care units from all over the country. The invitation to participate in the conference was also accepted by, among others: Paweł Masiarz, Deputy Director of the Department of Innovation, Ministry of Health; Tadeusz Nierebiński, Chief Sanitary Inspector of the Polish Army; Maciej Ratajczak, Deputy Director of Department of Environmental Hygiene, Chief Sanitary Inspectorate; Jerzy Walecki, National Consultant for radiology and diagnostic imaging; Andrzej Cieszanowski, President of the Polish Medical Society of Radiology; Andrzej Kołodziejczyk, President of the Polish Society of Nuclear Medicine; Piotr Grzelak – Voivodeship Consultant in radiology and diagnostic imaging, Janusz Dąbrowski – Voivodeship Consultant in nuclear medicine.

The Organising Committee of the 13th National Conference “Ionising Radiation in Medicine” PJOMED 2022 expresses its gratitude to all Conference participants. We are grateful for your interest and positive reception of the event and invite to the next 2023 edition!

This year’s 13^th edition of the National Conference “Ionising Radiation in Medicine” PJOMED 2022, organised by the National Centre for Radiation Protection in Health Care, will be held on June 6-7, 2022 as a hybrid event: at the European Institute in Łódź and online on the web platform. More information here.

“Promoting Safety Culture and Enhancing the Quality Assurance and Quality Control Capability of Nuclear Medicine Departments” symposium closing IAEA TC POL9025 project took place on 13 – 14 December 2021 under online formula using a dedicated conference platform to facilitate interactive participation. Additionally, online participants could follow live streaming, choosing the simultaneous interpretation channel (English or Polish).

The symposium, which aimed to officially conclude POL9025 project, implemented under the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Technical Cooperation Program for 2020 – 2021, was opened by Dariusz Kluszczyński, Director of the National Centre for Radiation Protection in Health Care. After welcoming the invited guests, including representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Tomoko Furusawa, Programme Management Officer, Division for Europe, Department of Technical Cooperation, spoke and thanked the POL9025 project team for organising the event and the IAEA experts for their contribution and support. She also congratulated on the implementation of all the planned project events despite the challenges faced by the team over the past two years.

During the two days of the symposium, participants had the opportunity to attend lectures delivered by the International Atomic Energy Agency experts (Professor Manuel Bardiès and Professor John Dickson) and specialists representing Polish nuclear medicine units. The programme also included time for discussion therefore the meeting provided a platform for the exchange of experience, views and conclusions among participants.

Dariusz Kluszczyński, the NCRPinHC Director, in his conclusion enumerated the entities involved in POL9025 project: nuclear medicine units in Poland, International Atomic Energy Agency, National Consultant in Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Polish Society of Nuclear Medicine, National Atomic Energy Agency, and National Centre for Radiation Protection in Health Care.

He also presented goals and tasks undertaken in 2020-2021, stressing that all planned activities had been implemented, despite the difficulties associated with the Covid-19 pandemic (i.e. restrictions on mobility and attendance at onsite conferences, meetings and training events). National workshops were conducted as online training and scientific visits, which could not be implemented, were replaced by a series of remote training courses on individual dosimetry in nuclear medicine. All events related to POL9025 project were free or charge and open to all interested parties, who could participate remotely in “live” meetings or view recorded events on the internet. The National Centre also  prepared versions of recordings with translation of lectures delivered by foreign experts for Polish audiences. All project events, descriptions thereof as well as links to individual recordings were updated on a regular basis at www.kcor.gov.pl.

At the end of the symposium the floor was given to Jing Zhang, Programme Management Officer of the IAEA Department of Technical Cooperation, who called POL9025 project a great success and described it as one of the best projects implemented in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. He thanked and congratulated all members of the Polish team working on the project, as well as the IAEA representatives and Polish and foreign experts involved. He stressed that despite the challenges of the pandemic-enforced cancellation of face-to-face meetings and going entirely online, POL9025 project team delivered all planned events and key objectives on time. Jing Zhang also said that this project would result not only in exchange of know-how, best practices and experience at international level, useful for both Polish nuclear medicine entities and the IAEA, benefiting Polish patients, hospitals and supporting the Ministry of Health with new solutions and ideas, but also in further extending and strengthening the cooperation – including implementation of the next project starting in 2022.