The seminar, which featured the Ratoh Jaroe dance from Aceh as a symbol of togetherness and the spirit of never giving up, began with a report from the Chairperson of the Committee, Head of the Centre for Regulatory Assessment of Radiation Facilities and Radioactive Materials (P2STPFRZR), Taruniyati Handayani, who reported, "The Si-INTAN Seminar will be rolled out with a new name, namely the Radiation Safety Seminar on Medical Exposure. This seminar is an annual agenda as a forum for sharing ideas, experiences, learning, coaching, and proposed solutions related to our efforts in strengthening the optimization of radiation protection on medical exposure."

"In 2024, it is different from the previous year's implementation because a special session will be provided for cross-sector discussion and coordination with stakeholders in the health sector. This executive discussion session will then be scheduled annually as a forum to realize sustainable synergy and collaboration between stakeholders in overseeing and strengthening the assurance of patient radiation safety, especially through the use of DRL to optimize patient radiation protection," she reported.

The event was opened by the Deputy Chairman for Nuclear Safety Assessment of BAPETEN, Haendra Subekti, who represented the Acting Chairman of BAPETEN. In the opening remarks of the Acting Chairman of BAPETEN, which were read, the Deputy Chairman for Nuclear Safety Assessment stated, "BAPETEN is a government institution whose duties include supervising the use of nuclear energy to ensure the safety and health of workers, the public, and environmental protection. Supervision carried out by BAPETEN is expected to increase legal awareness of nuclear energy users to create a safety culture in the nuclear field."

"The expectation of the Radiation Safety Seminar on Medical Exposure is to become a forum for achieving synergy between stakeholders through the division of work programs in each stakeholder to oversee the implementation of the Indonesian Diagnostic Reference Level (DRL or Tingkat Panduan Diagnostik/TPD), according to the theme of this seminar. Strengthening collaboration is expected to be initiated through executive discussions that are part of this seminar."

The seminar continued with a plenary session moderated by the activity manager of the BAPETEN Health Assessment Function Group, Rusmanto, presenting three topics. The first topic is on "The Role of the Ministry of Health in Radiation Safety for Patients, Especially in Patient Service Quality Indicators" by the Chairperson of the Referral Health Service Quality Working Team, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, Irna Lidiawati.

The second topic, on “The Role of AFISMI in Developing Standard Protocols for Patient Examination Using Ionizing Radiation Considering DRL and Image Quality” by the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Medical Physicists Alliance (AFISMI) Lukmanda Evan Lubis, and the third topic, which was conducted online on “ARPANSA’s Experience in Establishing Strategies That Encourage Hospitals to Establish Patient Radiation Dose Management Using National DRL and DRL Development Strategy for Pediatrics” by the Director of Medical Imaging of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) Peter Thomas.

Two hundred attendees participated in the live and online session. Meanwhile, "Implementation of Diagnostic Reference Level to Strengthen Optimization of Radiation Protection in Patients" was the topic of a special executive session. BAPETEN, Ministry of Health, BRIN, PERSI, PDSRI, PKN-TMI, PIKI, IKARGI, AFISMI, and PARI participated in the conversation.

During the day, two oral sessions were held presenting papers by 10 representatives of the research team. The first session moderated by BAPETEN Radiation Supervisor Sudradjat, presented a presentation on "Optimization of Exposure Factors and Filter Variations on Entrance Skin Exposure (ESE) Values and Effective Doses in Pelvic Examination" by Muhammad Naufal Ramadhan, a presentation on "Estimation of Dose Estimates Using the Size Specific Dose Estimate (SSDE) Method in Abdominal CT-Scan Examination at Semen Gresik Hospital" by Osas Lisa Istifarinta, a presentation on "Repeat Analysis of Radiographic Images as a Form of Radiation Safety in the Radiology Installation of General Hospital (RSU) Islam Klaten" by Linda Armitasari, a presentation on "Determination of the Dose Alignment Level of Bendan Pekalongan Hospital Through Internal Dose Audits as an Effort to Optimize Radiation Protection for Patients" by Nurul Firdausi Nuzula and a presentation on "Determination of Local Diagnostic Reference Level (LDRL) Values for MSCT Imaging and Image Noise in CT Brain, Thorax, and Abdomen Examination at Dr. Soetrasno Rembang Hospital" by Fathimatuz Zahro.

The second oral session, moderated by BAPETEN Radiation Supervisor Endang Kunarsih, featured presentations on“Optimizing Radiation Protection for Patients Through the Implementation of Local Diagnostic Reference Level (DRL) in Dental Panoramic Examination” by Dita Kusumaningrum, presentations on “Determination of Local Diagnostic Reference Level (DRL) on Conventional Radiotherapy Simulator at Regional General Hospital (RSUD) dr. Adhyatma, MPH”by Habib Syeh Alzufri, presentations on “Determination of Diagnostic Reference Level (DRL) and Study of Exposure Parameter Selection on Head and Abdomen CT Scans at RSUD Bangil” by Naily Zulfatul Jannah, and presentations on “Local Diagnostic Guideline Level Based on Clinical Indications on Head CT Examination” by Moh. Shofi Nur Utami.

The policy recommendations resulting from this seminar were read by BAPETEN's Deputy Chairman for Nuclear Safety Assessment Haendra Subekti, including in the implementation of patient dose optimization and image quality, there are things that can already be practiced in health care facilities, in support of supervision development, policy recommendations have been produced such as the Review of the Size Specific Dose Estimate (SSDE) method can be used to estimate the dose received by patients and its relationship to radiation protection optimization efforts and Information (periodically) regarding optimization trends per facility (based on dose reporting) needs to be provided on the Si-INTAN application to be used by facilities as comparative material.

The event was closed by BAPETEN's Deputy Chairman for Licensing and Inspection, Zainal Arifin, who, in his closing remarks, said, "Ideas and innovations obtained from the speakers and presenters are expected to be used by healthcare facilities to be implemented or used as examples so as to strengthen and improve efforts in radiation protection on medical exposure."

"Harmonious and synergistic collaboration between all stakeholders must be strengthened and improved to oversee the implementation of protection and optimization of medical exposure in order to realize the goal of ensuring radiation safety for patients and workers," he concluded. [BHKK/AQ/CD/DA/SP/Translator: GP]

Documents can be downloaded:

1. Recommendations for Radiation Safety Seminar Policy on Medical Exposure 2024

2. Photo of Radiation Safety Seminar on Medical Exposure 2024