Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, cilt.19, sa.6, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
The healthcare sector is increasingly recognized as both vulnerable to climate change and a notable contributor to carbon emissions. This study aims to estimate the carbon emissions associated with the diagnostic process of colorectal cancer patients at the institutional level, encompassing procedure-induced emissions from colonoscopy and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) devices, as well as allocated institutional emissions derived from the proportional assignment of electricity and natural gas consumption of the clinical spaces where these procedures are performed. The analysis was conducted at a university-affiliated research and practice hospital in Türkiye using a retrospective design. The total annual carbon emissions associated with the colorectal cancer diagnostic process were estimated at approximately 0.102 tCO₂, of which SPECT/CT accounted for approximately 0.070 tCO₂ and colonoscopy for approximately 0.032 tCO₂ in procedure-specific terms. It should be noted that the higher emissions allocated to the colonoscopy room are primarily driven by room size and infrastructure allocation rather than the inherent carbon intensity of the procedure itself. By providing institutional-level evidence on procedure-specific emission sources, this study contributes to the understanding of healthcare-related carbon emissions and offers insights relevant to environmental management in clinical practice. The results underscore the importance of integrating emission reduction strategies into healthcare planning and policy development to mitigate the environmental impacts of diagnostic services.