The Impact of Modern Imaging Techniques on Carbon Footprints: Relevance and Outlook

Within health care, energy intensive medical imaging departments are the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. We all can take action by turning off idling imaging equipment to improve the carbon footprint of our practice. It is estimated that the health care sector accounts for 4.0–8.5% of total global CO2 emissions, with medical imaging representing an energy-intensive contributor. We outline the carbon footprint of the imaging modalities most relevant to urology and list practical recommendations that can have a positive impact on sustainability. Energy use for medical imaging scans is a significant contributor to carbon emissions by the health care sector. Steps to improve sustainability can include choosing the least energy-intensive option among the scan types suitable for each patient and condition, and switching off equipment when it is not in use.