Dose Excellence is an initiative of the Affidea Group to optimize patient safety, and more specifically to optimize the dose received by patients undergoing CT scans.
The purpose of Dose Excellence is to perform CT examinations with the lowest possible dose to examinees while maintaining the quality of the diagnostic image. Dose Excellence was launched in 2014 and is currently implemented in 13 Affidea Group countries in Europe, with 136 connected CT systems and more than 75,000 examinations per month.
All diagnostic centers of the Affidea Group in Greece participate in the program and are the only medical centers that implement it nationwide, with 5-star certification from the European Society of Radiology (ESR).
Significant reduction in examinees’ exposure to radiation dose, well below national reference levels
Affidea is the only health service provider that records and monitors real time data about the radiation dose on all CT systems it has, for all examinees, in all countries where it operates. The Dose Excellence program uses innovative digital software for this purpose as well as for determining the optimal dose, personalizing it according to the examinee.
In addition, it is the only healthcare provider to have established radiation dose reference levels by anatomical region, clinical indication and body mass index in CT examinations, evolving the guidelines from European regulatory authorities which publish limits mainly by anatomical region.
In the context of the continuous optimization of medical procedures for the benefit of examining and treating physicians, Affidea has set radiation dose limits lower than the national diagnostic reference levels – limits set by the Hellenic Atomic Energy Commission.
It is characteristically reported that the radiation dose in 92% of examinations for the anatomical regions of the chest, heart, brain and abdomen – examinations that make up the largest volume of CT scans in diagnostic centers – is less than the already low limits set by Affidea, in relation to the diagnostic reference levels of the country (note it concerns examinees with a normal body index). It is worth noting that the tests carried out at Affidea are 99% in absolute compliance with the strictest protocols and procedures applied by the Group, based on international guidelines.
The perfect balance between radiation dose and diagnostic image quality
The success of the Dose Excellence program is based on four main pillars:
1. Continuous training of the medical staff
2. Modern equipment of the latest generation
3. Continuous monitoring of program performance and planning of actions and corrective actions where required
4. Collaboration of all specialties for the best possible result Patient safety and innovation drive clinical practices at Affidea.
The Group continues efforts to manage the radiation dose in order to maintain and exceed the high standards it has achieved. At the same time, it promotes transparency, through the central recording and sharing of data and the information of examinees regarding their exposure to the radiation dose.
Safe CT examinations for children too
Affidea’s priority, however, is the care and safety of minor examinees. The commitment to their care therefore includes managing their exposure to radiation dose during medical examinations using the most advanced technologies as well as Dose Excellence. In this direction, specialized low-dose examination protocols for children are used, so that the quality of the images is satisfactory, the area examined is limited based on the clinical question, and the examination is applied only when it is considered absolutely necessary.
With 5 stars from the European Society of Radiology, Affidea Diagnostic Centers
Dose Excellence consistently receives multiple awards from the medical community. Affidea diagnostic centers are the only medical centers in Greece with 5-star certification from the European Society of Radiology (ESR), which are included in the global “Wall of Stars” list. This award for Affidea centers confirms the Group’s commitment to pioneering safe imaging while maintaining the highest diagnostic standards.