Mise en place d’une équipe d’experts en physique médicale au Luxembourg : organisation, résultats qualité et radioprotection en médecine nucléaire (2002–2011)

Implementations of the statutory UE requirements concerning ionizing radiation in the medical domain (96/29/Euratom, 13th May 1996; 97/43/Euratom, 30th June 1997) have changed quality control in medical imaging departments. In Luxembourg, the Ministry of Health and the “Union of Luxembourg Hospitals” have thus created a “Medical Physics Cell” (five Medical Physics experts). It is in charge of implementing a standardized program of Quality Assurance (QA) and radiation protection relative to patients as well as staffs, on a coordinated national basis, in all five in-hospital nuclear medicine departments of the country. The program distributes QA controls between three levels, various periodicities and degrees of expertise. It sensitizes staff and medical doctors by trainings and facilitates ISO accreditation. From 2002 to 2011, in all five in-hospital departments of nuclear medicine of a small country, image quality, radiation protection and reference values of each medical equipment were defined and implemented in a standard way. In 2011, the medical physics cell, the driving force leading to the institutionalization of the discipline within the nuclear medicine departments, is considered as a partner rather than as a control body by the teams in charge of the nuclear medicine departments.