Is Radiology a clinical specialty?:The concept of the invisibl­e radiologist

Abstract

Ιt should be stated right from the start that Radiology is a clinical specialty and the radiologist is a clinician with special training in methods of exceptional diagnostic significance and dynamically expanding range. Our teaching was based upon this assumption with which Radiology should always comply, if its status is to be preserved. It is the status that Radiology has achieved along the years of its evolution to become the specialty we all know.

However, the recognised clinical character of Radiology is jeopardised recently due to what happens now in our field - and I am afraid it is going to progressively happen in the years to come!                                                  

To address the issue of what threatens Radiology as clinical specialty, it is important:

A. To review useful historical data regarding the evolution of our profession, obtaining some very interesting feedbacks.

B. To reaffirm some basic concepts that the term “Clinical Radiology” obviously includes.

C. To recognise current trends in Medicine in general and Radiology in particular, working insidiously against the clinical identity of our specialty.

This review wouldn’t be completed without some comments and proposals aiming to possibly prevent the risk Radiology is facing right now, that is losing its clinical character!  These proposals - rather general attitudes - are based on the experience of others and the over 40 years active practicing and teaching Radiology of my own