The 13th annual International Society for the History of Radiology (ISHRAD) symposium was co-organized and hosted by the French Society of Radiology (SFR) and was held on 5 October 2024 in the Palais des Congrès in Paris as a part of France's national congress, JFR 2024.
The theme of the symposium was "Pioneers in radiology worldwide at the time of Rontgen" -- chosen to tie in with the publication and launch of a new book on this topic.
Three of the key participants in the JFR 2024 history session. From the left: Prof. Denis Krause, former head of radiology in Dijon and past president of the SFR; Dr. Arpan K. Banerjee; and Frederic Roz of the SFR.
At the ISHRAD meeting held in October 2023 in Remscheid-Lennep in the centenary year of Prof. Wilhelm Rontgen's death, it was decided by the ISHRAD board and the SFR that we would celebrate and honor the achievements of Rontgen by publishing a book telling the biographical stories of the early pioneers who set about adopting his new technique in their different countries worldwide.
A total of 195 biographies of pioneers from 38 countries were included, with an international multi-authorship under the editorship of the SFR, French Museum of Radiology, and ISHRAD. Pioneers included in the new book were people from medical, physics, engineering, and science backgrounds, reflecting the interests of the selfless pioneers from yesteryear, many of whom sadly became "radiation martyrs."
The talks at the meeting ranged from lesser-known facts about Röntgen including his time in Strasbourg and a talk about his will (he lost most of his money during the hyperinflation that affected Germany after World War I) to early radiology pioneers from Belgium, Sweden, U.S., Hungary, Austria, and France, as well as talks on early military radiology, Marie Curie and her work during World War I, and an early history of radiotherapy. A small exhibition from the French Museum of Radiology provided a suitable accompaniment to the talks.
The meeting also hosted the presentation of the Antoine Béclère medals to Prof. Francis Joffre (who gave a short talk on the history of stenting) and the late Prof. Gabriel Kalifa.
The book launch is an example of what international scholarly cooperation can achieve and is a reminder of the great efforts made by the early pioneers in their respective countries. Many of these people are not so well remembered today, but they do not deserve to be forgotten.
You can order a copy of the new book online from the Livres Medicaux website at a cost of €65. It will also be available from Amazon.
ISHRAD is a vibrant society dedicated to the history of radiology and radiological technology and practice. There are members throughout the world. For more details, go to the ISHRAD website.
ISHRAD was founded in 2011 at the ECR in Vienna. It is the only international society dedicated to the history of radiology and allied sciences, and although still only a relatively new society, it continues to go from strength to strength. Past meetings have been held in Remscheid Lennep, Cracow, Paris, Brussels, Eindhoven, the Siemens museum in Erlangen, Wurzburg, Verona, and Buenos Aires.
Dr. Arpan K. Banerjee is chair of ISHRAD and co-editor of "Pioneers in Radiology Worldwide."
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of AuntMinnieEurope.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular vendor, analyst, industry consultant, or consulting group.
