MEDICAL SURFARI; RADIOLOGISTS, AND DOCTORS BEHIND SCENE AID DIAGNOSIS

These specialists have been referred to as the doctor's doctor simply because they provide services to most physicians and surgeons in one form or another. Their specialty was born by the epochal announcement of Dr. Welhelm Conrad Roentgen in his short manuscript entitled "On A New Kind of Rays, A Preliminary Communication." Roentgen performed a wealth of experimentation establishing the existence of "X-rays."

One evening, Roentgen persuaded his wife to allow him to make an X-ray of her hand. He placed her hand on a cassette holding a photographic plate and made an exposure of 15 minutes. The developed film revealed the bones of her hand and two rings on her finger that had almost completely obscured the X-rays.

He showed this picture to her and she reportedly shuddered at the thought of seeing her own skeleton. In that day, many others responded similarly as this experience gave them a vague premonition of their own death.

Today, I doubt there is a physician or surgeon alive that has not utilized the diagnostic value of X-rays. The specialty that was born just more than 100 years ago is referred to as radiology, which has evolved into a misnomer for this specialty because the word "radiology" means the branch of health sciences dealing with radioactive substances and radiant energy used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Radiologists also use other types of diagnostic imaging techniques that do not use radiation. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well as magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) are technologies that do not use ionizing radiation. These technologies have become the gold standard for imaging some organ systems.

Radiologists often do not meet the patients for whom they work when they give an interpretation of an X-ray, MRI or ultrasound, but, as a neurosurgeon, who uses the services of these "hidden specialists" every day in my practice, I can assure you that the radiologists in our community provide a vital, and sometimes thankless, service to all of the physicians of this community.

Radiologists are physicians who have attended four years of medical school, a year internship, four years of residency and in some cases if they have taken specialty training, they may have completed yet another year or two in their area of sub-specialization.

We are fortunate to have three radiologists in this community who have completed fellowships in neuroradiology. This is the highest attainable credential for a physician who interprets imaging studies of the brain and spine. So if you experience a problem with one of these parts of your nervous system that requires imaging, be certain that you are getting the best interpretation possible. After all, it is your brain and your spine and you deserve the best. And, if you have a moment, drop your radiologists a note and thank them for their good work.

World Wide Web Resource

American College of Radiology

www.acr.org

This Web site provides information about radiology programs, education and standards.