International Day of Radiology

International Day of Radiology

Let's celebrate together!

November 8 marks the day that Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered the existence of x-rays in 1895.

The annual International Day of Radiology (IDoR) aims to increase attention that radiology improves diagnostic validity, patient care and understanding of pathophysiological processes. The European Society of Radiology (ESR), the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) have initiated IDoR in 2012.

Please visit also the official International Day of Radiology website.

IDoR 2018

IDoR has its heart in radiology! The annual International Day of Radiology 2018 highlights the increasing role of cardiac imaging.

Cardiac Imaging


The Value of Cardiac Imaging

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease, and caused 8.8 million deaths worldwide in 2015. An early diagnosis and subsequent treatment is critical as patients with CAD are at increased risk of experiencing complications such as heart attack and stroke, which may lead to death.

The global impact of cardiovascular disease (CVD) on mortality and morbidity means that early and effective diagnosis and treatment is vital. Innovative cardiac medical imaging procedures – a subspecialty of diagnostic radiology – inform clinical decisions that are made throughout the continuum of care:

  • Diagnosis: timely and accurate use of healthcare technology such as ultrasound, CT or MRI helps cardiologists and radiologists to diagnose diseases of the heart, such as CAD, effectively.
  • Treatment: timely and correct diagnosis informs doctor’s decisions and improves quality of patient care by supporting the care team in determining an optimal therapeutic plan.
  • Management: assists monitoring of disease progression or a patient’s response to treatment, as well as detection of other illnesses.

 

Advanced Imaging Techniques…

 …are key to improving outcomes for patients!

Every successful treatment starts with the right diagnosis and in addition to X-rays and ultrasounds, cardiac radiologists and cardiologists use advanced imaging techniques such as cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) scans to provide clear direction from diagnosis to care:

  • Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance  CMR, sometimes known as cardiac MRI, is a medical imaging technology for the non-invasive assessment of the function and structure of the cardiovascular system. It is a radiation-free procedure and derived from and based on the same basic principles as MRI with optimization for use in the CV system. CMR obtains extremely high-quality images of the cardiac chambers using MRI, high-strength magnet and radio waves to scan the body. Some CMR involves injecting a contrast medium (gadolinium) during the scan to highlight the blood vessels on the images. This can also assist in providing information on tissue blood supply, inflammation and scarring.
  • Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography (CTCA) Angiography is the X-ray imaging of blood vessels using contrast agents injected into the bloodstream. CTCA uses CT scanning to take images (angiograms) of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the muscle of a beating heart.

 

Ongoing Advances

Advances in MR hardware and software have led to the widespread adoption of MR myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and new uses of contrast agents in patients with suspected CAD.

Today, CMR can be used to visualise heart function and structure and has become a standard imaging modality in a range of clinical applications including assessment of various cardiac diseases.

As the field of cardiac imaging expands, there are many current research avenues and trends that in the future could prove important to clinical practice.

The SPINS Study of the Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) Registry is gathering evidence of the real-world diagnostic and therapeutic impact of CMR on patient care, key issues guiding future technical development, clinical adaptation, regulatory approval and financial reimbursement.

 

Well-Informed Patients

Ensuring patients are informed is important, and Bayer is committed to supporting radiologists in their efforts to improve patient experience, bringing clear direction from diagnosis to care.

1,085 patients across seven countries were surveyed to understand their concerns and feelings when they underwent a CT or MRI.

Did you know? Patients experience a rollercoaster of emotions when going through an MRI or CT. This range of emotions makes them feel uneasy before, during, and after the procedure.

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Why do patients feel this way?

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What can Radiologists do about this?

Research suggests that patients who are better informed about the benefits and risks of their diagnostic procedures are empowered and enabled to make a conscious therapy decision with their care team. Clear information and guidance prepare patients and increase their compliance during the scan (e.g., breathing normally, staying calm, and following given instructions), so they are less likely to engage in behaviours that could potentially compromise the quality of their imaging study and thereby potentially have an effect on the accuracy of their diagnoses.

So be sure to spend some time communicating with your patients – it’s what they want too!

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Videos

Watch these two videos to give you an idea of how you could simply and effectively communicate the procedure to your patients.

Gallery

So Little Time to Save Life

Cardiac Imaging has been chosen as the main theme of the International Day of Radiology. Heart diseases can be life-threatening. Patients frequently need fast and highly specialized care.

Our photographer Britta Radike was in the field with the air rescue service of the German army hospital Bundeswehrkrankenhaus Ulm (BWK Ulm). She documented every perfected movement the team of radiologists and clinicians performed to save a life. 

Matthias Helm is the head of Institute for Emergency Medicine at the BWK Ulm. His whole interdisciplinary team is present when the helicopter “Christoph 22” flies in a patient. Five to ten people listen to the rapid report of accident type, bodily function and supposed internal injuries of the patient. The team is trained for smooth operations. The department has a digital x-ray and a high-resolution CT device that allows scanning from head to pelvis in only thirty seconds. Radiologists may thus rapidly detect life-threatening injuries and immediately pass their diagnosis to the clinicians right next to him or her.