November 8, 2020, marks the 125th anniversary of Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen’s discovery of the x-ray in 1895. Each year, this International Day of Radiology (IDoR) is celebrated by radiologists worldwide, and for the past eight years, the multinational celebration has been organized to include radiologists, radiographers, radiological technologists, and professionals from related fields. The annual event aims to promote awareness of the value that radiology contributes to patient care, patient safety in imaging, and the roles of physicians and technologists in the healthcare continuum.
Events will primarily be held online this year due to COVID, but this format lends itself to viewing interesting presentations from locations you might not otherwise visit. Webinars from Australia, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom are free and fascinating. Many of the topics focus on radiology’s role in the current pandemic. You can view additional information and times at https://www.internationaldayofradiology.com/events/. Interviews with international experts are also showcased online from previous years’ celebrations. Although Dr. Roetgen’s laboratory museum is currently closed, you can take a virtual tour at https://wilhelmconradroentgen.de/en/about-roentgen.
The day is a joint initiative of the European Society of Radiology (ESR), the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR), with the full cooperation and involvement of the International Society of Radiology (ISR), as well as umbrella organizations on all continents, including the Asian Oceanian Society of Radiology (AOSR), the Colegio Interamericano de Radiología (CIR), the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR), and the Radiological Society of South Africa (RSSA – which also represents neighboring countries).
Any way you look at it, medical imaging remains one of the most exciting and perpetually evolving fields in healthcare. Still, the purpose and value of medical imaging is not widely understood. Whether you image with x-rays, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear compounds or other evolving modalities, the science behind the technology is amazing. Continued research into technological and biological pathways helps us understand both disease and good health. So celebrate November 8th and all those physicians, technologists, researchers, and nurses who make the images!
Dr. Sara O’Hara, author; Glenn Miñano, BFA, editor; Meredith Towbin, copyeditor
