What we have learned from the session “Malaysia-Thailand Collaboration on DRL: Moving Forward” in the Malaysian Congress of Radiology Meeting 2024

The session highlighted the collaborative efforts between Malaysia and Thailand in optimizing diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for radiation exposure in medical imaging. The councils also emphasized the differences in approach: Malaysia's top-down mandatory system versus Thailand's voluntary cooperation model. Challenges such as funding, protocol establishment, and training were identified as barriers to effective DRL implementation. The importance of collaboration among radiologists, medical physicists, and technology developers was stressed to enhance patient safety and optimize radiation doses. Future strategies proposed included developing updated guidelines, sharing anonymized dose data, and organizing workshops to foster knowledge exchange. The session concluded with a call for legislative support in Thailand to make national dose surveys mandatory, aiming for improved radiation safety standards in both countries.