Impact |Safer PET/CT imaging for children
In the coming weeks the nominees for the Ben Feringa Impact Award 2026 will introduce themselves and their impactful research or project. The winners will be announced on 9 June. This week: Sasha Oleksandra Ivashchenko with the research on safer PET/CT imaging for children.
Who are you?
I am Sasha Ivashchenko, a clinical medical physicist specialized in radiology and nuclear medicine /assistant professor, working at the Nuclear Medicine Department of the UMCG. I also lead an active research line focused on dosimetry optimization in the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of nuclear medicine. I studied Medical Science at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG).
Can you explain what your research was about?
This initiative focuses on making PET/CT imaging safer for children with cancer and other serious diseases. PET/CT is one of the most sensitive imaging methods in oncology, but it requires exposure to radiation from both radiopharmaceuticals (PET) and X-rays (CT). While these scans are essential for diagnosis and treatment monitoring, children are more sensitive to radiation and often undergo repeated imaging early in life, increasing the long-term risk of radiation-related complications.
Our research investigates how new total-body PET/CT technology can dramatically reduce radiation exposure while maintaining high image quality. These scanners are 10–20 times more sensitive, enabling faster scans, lower radiation doses, reduced need for sedation, and more child-friendly imaging. We have already demonstrated that radiation dose reductions of 80–95% are possible without compromising diagnostic quality, helping make advanced imaging both safer and more accessible for pediatric patients.
What made the research impactful?
This initiative addresses a critical challenge in pediatric medical imaging: balancing the lifesaving value of PET/CT scans with the long-term risks of radiation exposure in children. Young patients with cancer or inflammatory diseases often require multiple scans during diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up, making cumulative radiation dose a major concern. At the same time, delaying or avoiding imaging can negatively affect outcomes.
By optimizing the use of next-generation total-body PET/CT technology, this work makes advanced imaging significantly safer for children. Our research has shown that radiation doses can be reduced by 80–95% without compromising image quality or diagnostic reliability. Faster scans can also reduce the need for sedation, lowering stress for children and families while improving hospital efficiency. Beyond direct patient benefits, the initiative helps accelerate adoption of safer imaging practices worldwide and shifts public perception by emphasizing that PET/CT is not only a source of radiation, but also a vital tool for timely and accurate care.
What was your personal motivation to conduct this research?
As both a mother and a clinical medical physicist, my motivation comes from wanting every child and family to receive the safest and best possible care during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Although I have fortunately not faced serious health concerns with my own child, my clinical work focuses on vulnerable patients, particularly children and pregnant women, who require highly specialized imaging. This responsibility has made me deeply aware of the importance of providing excellent diagnostic quality while minimizing stress, complications, and long-term risks such as radiation exposure.
Through this work, I have learned that care should always be delivered the way we would want it for our own families. That is why we invest significant effort into developing safer imaging practices and sharing this knowledge with others, so hospitals worldwide can improve care for vulnerable patients without needing to reinvent the process themselves.