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MINI REVIEW article
Front. Clim.
Sec. Climate and Health
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fclim.2025.1581232
Advancing Climate-Resilient Health: Radiology's Role in Mitigating Climate-Related Health Risks
Provisionally accepted- Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
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Global warming poses significant challenges to healthcare systems, with radiology playing a pivotal role in addressing the health impacts of climate change. Rising global temperatures and worsening air pollution are increasing the prevalence of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, necessitating targeted radiological interventions. Extreme heat events elevate the risks of thromboembolic conditions, myocardial infarctions, and strokes, while air pollution exacerbates chronic respiratory diseases like COPD and asthma. Advanced imaging technologies, including photon-counting CT, spectral imaging, and automated analysis tools, are crucial for early detection, timely intervention, and monitoring of these conditions, reducing morbidity and mortality rates. Simultaneously, radiology must adopt sustainable practices to minimize its ecological footprint, as the healthcare sector significantly contributes to global energy consumption.Radiological subspecialties, particularly cardiovascular, pulmonary, and neuroradiology, must expand to meet the growing demand for climate-related care. Innovations in imaging techniques, combined with interdisciplinary collaboration, can enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency while reducing resource consumption. These advancements not only strengthen the healthcare system's resilience but also improve population health outcomes. By integrating preventive strategies, optimizing resources, and advancing technologies, radiology can address the health challenges posed by climate change, contributing to a sustainable healthcare system and fostering Climate Resilient Health.
Keywords: Climate Resilient Health, Radiology, Sustainable Imaging Practices, Climate-Related Health Risks, Preventive Medicine
Received: 21 Feb 2025; Accepted: 16 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Palm, Kauczor and Sedaghat. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Viktoria Palm, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, 69120, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.