World Radiology Day – 8th November 2020
World Radiology Day is celebrated on November 8th every year. The day is celebrated as a tribute to the great discovery of radiation by x-rays by scientist Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen in the year 1895. The day is celebrated by radiographers worldwide. Radiology as a career is also made accessible on this significant day. Radiology is one of the most imminent requirements of modern healthcare facilities. The public is usually intimidated by treatments involving radiology tests.
They fear the outcome of the results as it may lead them further into complicated procedures and expensive medication conditions. To remove these inhibitions and related myths regarding radiology, awareness creation through World Radiology Day is an essential move. This article focuses on World Radiology Day 2020 and discusses many facets of its history, significance, themes, celebrations and relevant FAQs.
World Radiology Day – History
World Radiology Day was first celebrated in the year 2012. The collaboration of the European Society of Radiology [ESR], the Radiological Society of North America [RSNA], American College of Radiology [ACR] took up a novel initiative to start World Radiology Day celebrations. From then on, the world has been looking forward to celebrating the day with great enthusiasm. Around the globe, more than 200 medical centres and institutions at the local, national and international levels participate in spreading awareness about the day.
The predecessor to the event came by when the European Society of Radiology began the European Day of Radiology on February 10th, 2011. This event, however, did not successively take place every year henceforth. The World Radiology Day celebrations quickly replaced it. Before that, a significant decision to change the celebration dates was made by this collaboration.
February 10th happened to anniversary when Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen passed away. Soon enough, a formal resolution was passed by the partnership, and the new date was reserved for November 8th, the time when he marked the discovery of X-Rays.
In their next high-level meeting hosted by the RSNA at Chicago on November 28th of the same year, the formal announcement of the change in dates was told. All the three institutions of the collaboration agreed upon the changing times.
Significance of World Radiology Day 2020
The highlight of World Radiology Day is the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen. He was born in the year 1845 in Germany. He majored in Physics and completed his PhD at the University of Zurich. He is credited with the discovery of a new set of rays which were entirely unknown till then, which later became famous as X-rays.
These rays were found to have similar intensities as that of light but varied in one aspect. X-rays had higher strength than light beams. Coming to the importance of World Radiology Day, let us take a sneak peek into why the day is essential to modern healthcare systems.
One of the most growing fields of medical science and technology is medical imaging. For diagnostic purposes, radiology and allied medical fields are one of the most progressive and necessary steps required. These radiological systems are mostly for detection of ailments in patients. They form the first and foremost steps towards building patient care with a lot of understanding.
Radiology is a vital requirement for X-rays, MRI scanning equipment and ultrasound devices. Radiology is therefore essential to people, places a valuable role in the right diagnosis. Radiologists have a very significant role to play in the primary care of patients. Radiological techniques are not just about the medical field; they are a beautiful combination of the areas of medicine, technology, scientific principles and artistic skills.
In a medical scenario where diagnosis plays the most vital role, radiologists determine the next course of treatments for a patient. In case radiologists deliver the wrong diagnosis through incorrect medical imaging, doctors prescribe to the improper procedures, thereby causing considerable risk to the patients’ life. Hence World Radiology Day plays a significant role in spreading awareness about the vital role of radiologists in medical science.
World Radiology Day 2020 Themes
Starting from the year 2012 when celebrations for World Radiology Day began across the world, a yearly issue has been put in place. These themes are associated with image recognition by radiology, and the same is listed down below:
- 2012 had the entire focus on cancer care. Hence it was associated with Imaging for the discipline of Oncology.
- 2013 – Associated with imaging of thorax.
- 2014- Associated with imagery of the brain.
- 2015- Associated with imaging of paediatric cases.
- 2016- Associated with imaging of breasts.
- 2017- Associated with the representation of emergency and critical situations.
- 2018- Associated with the description of the heart.
- 2019- Associated with imaging of cases significant to the field of sports.
- For the year 2020, an eye-catching global theme is awaited to add to the celebrations.
World Radiology Day Celebrations
Radiological societies and institutes come together for a grand celebration on November 8th, World Radiology Day. Many conferences and awareness meets are conducted throughout the day by radio technicians and radiologists. The day also sees the big names in medical fraternities spreading the world on the value of medical imaging in modern medical science and talks on the importance of radiology inpatient care. Colleges imparting radiology as a course put up attractive features and career prospects of the course.
Many medical institutes conduct webinars regarding the importance of radiology in diagnosing patient’s diseases. The most important part of the celebrations includes awareness creation and knowledge spreading about radiology as the following field of modern, digital medical science.
It also imparts useful information regarding paediatric radiological specialisations as well as sports radiology. Celebrations also cater to diagnosis, treatments to be followed up, and specialists to be provided to. The regular events of the day include press conferences, round table discussions, case discussions, lectures and workshops.
Additional information about Radiology
Sports radiology or musculoskeletal radiology is an emerging field in the subject of radiology. Students interested in pursuing a career in this field of study can make innovative inroads by researching imaging of various body parts that are clubbed under sports injuries. It deals with the study of anatomy, mechanics combined with the subject of biology and surgical procedural details.
The job areas for sports radiology have a broad scope like imaging, diagnosis, speculation/original prediction and finally, treatment by experts. This field is especially important to athletes who suffer from various kinds of ligament and tendon tears during their tournaments and practise sessions. From the Olympic 1996 event, in-situ detection of injuries was placed as a special provision at the host site itself.
Conclusion
Festivities around the world in radiology departments and diagnostic service centres are standard celebration modes of World Radiology Day. Media coverage is provided primarily to a branch of radiology that pertains to sports injuries, namely sports radiology. The day is celebrated worldwide with good coverage from local, national and international media houses. MRIs, nuclear therapies and radiation therapies surrounding treatment corners are provided particular focus.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is World Radiology Day?
Radiology is one of the essential parts of diagnostic treatment services in caring for patients. To spread awareness about the importance of radiology in medical science, World Radiology Day is celebrated.
2. How do we celebrate the International Day of Radiology?
We can celebrate World Radiology Day in several ways by conducting awareness meets, lectures, round table discussions, press conferences, case study discussions and workshops.
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