EH 2_2015

Further information available on: www.eizo.de The biggest is its versatility. And its size. RadiForce™ RX850. The RX850 displays images from multiple imaging processes simul- taneously on its 31.1“, 8-megapixel LCD screen, making it highly ﬂexible and completely versatile. The RX850 is available with an optional anti-reﬂective (AR) optical coating, which prevents glare without diffusing the light from the screen. Suitable for mammography in accordance with DIN 6868-157 Flexible hanging protocol due to high resolution Fine dot pitch for sharper detail Low heat output keeps room temperature pleasantly low Anti-reﬂective screen for improved ergonomic performance 5 year warranty EIZO•Anzeige RX850 Mammo•European Hospital•210x297mm + 3mm•ICv2•DU:17.02.15 eizME5021_RadiForce_AZ_RX850_Mammo_A4_OM_European_Hospital_EN_ICv2_1ml.indd 1 11.02.15 15:48 www.healthcare-in-europe.com 21RADIOLOGY Medical imaging practice has changed profoundly and extremely rapidly, and this has had huge consequenc- es for radiologists, interventional radiologist Professor Jim Reekers explained. ‘In the old days, we were called the photo department, still something that sticks today. A survey made by the ESR, which was never published, asked patients whether they thought the radiolo- gist was a doctor or not... and they had no idea,’ he said. ‘So the ques- tion of this session really is: how to stay relevant for the future of radiol- ogy?’ he added. According to Nicola Strickland, a consultant radiologist at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK, radiologists must first realise they are not future proof: ‘We can only protect ourselves by making ourselves indispensable to patient care and to our clinical col- leagues,’ she said. Radiologists must show their additional value to the team by emphasising that they are doctors first. ‘We are both photographers and doctors, but we are doctors first. Compared with non-medical people, such as radiographers or nurses, we, as radiologists, can add value by showing we understand the pathology, physiology, and dis- ease processes affecting that par- ticular physiology, and apply that value to the clinical scenario,’ she said. ‘We can tailor our report to a particular clinical scenario.’ Any doctor can read an image nowadays. To maintain their lead in image interpretation, radiolo- gists must remain at the forefront of knowledge in clinical interven- tion, imaging modalities and digital informatics and software, Strickland added. ‘We have to maintain our clinical expertise, and keep abreast of technologies and rapid changes in our specialty. We must remain ahead of the game, and be as good as, and in fact better than, our clini- cal colleagues. For instance, I have to be able to interpret an ankle scan better than an orthopaedic surgeon,’ she stressed. Inevitably, there has to be some subspecialisation and, she recommended, it is vital to attend multidisciplinary meetings on a weekly or daily basis. Reekers wondered if subspeciali- sation could be the answer in the following presentation. Most spe- cialties have an undisputed place in clinical practice, he argued. However, that is not the case for radiology. ‘There is no surgeon who will do his or her own anaesthesia, so there is really this undisputed knowledge. Radiology is not undis- puted and this is the problem.’ He quoted a survey unveiled at RSNA in 2009, in which 90% of interviewed clinicians said they were comfortable interpreting X-rays in 55.3% all of the time and 35.8% some of the time. Half of the interviewees felt equally compe- tent at interpreting CT exams and, depending on the type of exam, 40% admitted they did not read the entire radiology report. Imaging has become the most important diagnostic tool over the past few years and many medical specialties now include it in their curriculum. ‘We have to be aware that we are not alone on the planet any- more. Image interpretation without clinical knowledge is not possible anymore, you have to know the whole package,’ the expert said. The radiologist 2.0 should be part of this decision-making and be an active clinical partner with up-to- date knowledge about a medical specialty. Reekers recommended joining different medical specialty societies to acquire further skills. ‘You have to have broad knowledge otherwise you will not be seen as an expert anymore,’ he concluded. Want to be a photographer or doctor? Radiologists are doctors first Delegates were asked an increasingly vital question during ECR 2015: do they want to be photographers or doctors? ‘This is probably one of the most interesting sessions of this meeting and, after the congress, maybe even your career,’ declared Jim Reekers, professor of interventional radiology at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, when he faced a packed auditorium and kick started the eponymous Professional Challenges session. Jim Reekers, Interventional radiology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Source:ECR eizME5021_RadiForce_AZ_RX850_Mammo_A4_OM_European_Hospital_EN_ICv2_1ml.indd 111.02.1515:48

EH 2_2015

Pages Overview