Sustainable Medical Imaging Operations: Recommendations for Reducing Energy Consumption

Dramatic increases in power demand due to recent climate events, as well as the low supply of natural gas for electricity generation, have increased the price of electricity in the United States. (1) As large consumers of energy, healthcare organizations are scrutinizing their electricity usage, not only to mitigate the effect on the financial health of the institution, but also to meet carbon neutrality goals. Whereas hospitals have historically focused on patient care and high-quality service regardless of the energy toll, there is new interest in reducing energy use without compromising care.

A common target for energy-saving improvements is one of the bigger consumers of electricity within a healthcare facility—the imaging suite. CT and MR imaging scanners in particular require a great deal of electricity. In addition to the energy demand during scans, a large amount of energy is required to keep these systems cool, even when they are not in active use. Most imaging systems have dedicated water cooling systems that run independently of the institution's climate control, while some now use air cooling systems that use the air in the imaging suite for cooling, placing demand on the facility's heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.

To help organizations save money and work toward their sustainability goals, this article summarizes research showing how much energy is...