Saudi Gazette report
Prompt diagnosis is key to treatment, as it requires emergency evaluation and treatment of diseases so as to ensure optimal chances of the patient’s survival. In this light, radiology is considered crucial in diagnosing any disease or disorder. In the medical world, radiology is regarded as the “eye of medicine.”
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the body. It involves an array of imaging technologies such as X-ray radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), nuclear radiology, interventional radiology, positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in order to diagnose or treat diseases.
Any error in the proper application of this technology would lead to complications in correct diagnosis and subsequently, a failure of treatment and sometimes, the death of the patient. Therefore, it is essential to have proper awareness among the public about radiology. A shortage of radiologists is a global phenomenon and it is more evident in Saudi Arabia, Al-Riyadh daily reported quoting a number of medical experts.
Dr. Mishal Al-Shaalan, consultant musculoskeletal radiologist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, said Saudi Arabia faces a shortage of at least 2,000 radiologists and their scarcity forces hospitals and polyclinics to rely on unqualified hands. According to a global estimate, for every 1 million people, at least 1,000 radiologists are needed. In the Kingdom, there are more than 30 million citizens and foreigners. For them, at least 3,000 radiologists are required. However, there are only 1,000 radiologists, including Saudis and foreigners, available in the Kingdom, he said.
Dr. Al-Shaalan urged Saudi youths to come forward to specialize in this most sought after profession. He said there has been tremendous response from several Saudi doctors to specialize in radiology at the Saudi Board of Radiology.
“The radiology training program at the National Guard is the best among the programs available in the Kingdom. This program has won the accreditation of Canada’s Royal College in medical radiology. Therefore, those who specialize in this program can join top universities for radiology in Canada and sit for tests conducted by the Canadian Board of Radiology.”
Dr. Hisham Al-Shaalan, head of the pediatric radiology department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, said radiologists are like rare coins. The number of Saudi radiologists is the lowest compared to the actual demand, and this has forced those who run the health sector to hire foreign hands. Specialists in all other branches of medicine are forced to rely on radiologists in their process of diagnosis and treatment. Al-Shaalan said radiology has become a pivotal part of modern medicine. With the advancement in technology, this branch of medicine has gained prominence in the process of diagnosis and treatment.
“A full-fledged radiology unit with competent radiologists has become the hallmark of an advanced medical center or hospital at present. Such a unit is the backbone of any medical center that strives to offer top level healthcare services,” he said, while noting that some of these technologies like CT scans and ultrasounds have witnessed amazing advancements that have made possible images of internal organs with high precision within seconds.
“They have become the pivotal element not only in the diagnosing process but also in avoiding surgical procedures. MRI scans give the best soft tissue contrast of all the imaging modalities. With advances in scanning speed and spatial resolution, MRIs has become an important tool in musculoskeletal radiology and neuro radiology,” Al-Shaalan noted.
Dr. Muhammad Al-Tawala, head of the interventional radiology unit at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre and president of the Arab Society for Interventional Radiology, said the astounding progress witnessed in diagnostic radiology technology is one of the major achievements of modern medicine in locating and finding reasons for most diseases.
“In recent years, there has been stiff competition among manufacturers of equipment in the radiology sector and these companies have a thriving business of the latest models of highly advanced equipment. A new CT scan equipment can produce as many as 250 cardiovascular images within a second and this image gives a minute picture of defects in arteries that could previously be only detected through surgeries.”
Dr. Khaled Al-Namir, consultant cardiologist and expert in catheterization of the arteries, tomography and nuclear medicine, said nuclear radiation is highly useful in diagnosis and treatment.
“Even though the name of nuclear radiation is scary, this technology is based on radioactive elements that generate isotopes that can be monitored with specialized cameras. There are certain organs in the body that absorb these isotopes and therefore, it can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases that affect the internal organs such as brain, thyroid, heart, liver, kidneys and lungs. This technology has been in use in various parts of the world for more than 30 years. According to reports, more than eight million tests on the heart are being carried out in the United States annually by using this technology and there were no major complications reported,” Al-Namir said.
