Statement of purpose, scope, and function committee on radiology

The Committee on Radiology of the American Academy of Pediatrics was created to improve the general care of children as it pertains to radiology. Its primary purposes are to keep the physicians who are responsible for the welfare of children informed of new procedures and techniques in radiology, and to present a balanced view of the benefits and hazards inherent in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures using ionizing radiations, including those emanating from radioactive isotopes. Communication will be established with pediatricians, surgeons, and others caring for children to introduce new roentgenographic examinations of proven value and to discourage the use of multiple or unnecessary procedures. The Committee also will have responsibility in the field of medical education. It will work with the Committee on Medical Education of the Academy to improve training in pediatric radiology during residency training and in postgraduate courses for pediatricians. It will be the goal of the Committee to also work closely with other action committees of the Academy, such as the Committee on Environmental Hazards and Neoplastic Disease, and with committees and section committees of the Academy (i.e., Urology, Surgery, Cardiology, and diseases of the Chest). In many subspecialty areas of pediatrics, the diagnostic information, research potential, and critical evaluation provided by the pediatric radiologist has not been fully appreciated. Concept and methods in radiotherapy are advancing and changing rapidly. General principles pertaining to uses of radiotherapy will be presented by this Committee rather than the treatment of specific disease entities. Long-term survivors treated with radiotherapy are now being evaluated, and the various complications will be reviewed by the Committee.