Message from President IRIA
April 21, 2022 2022-06-22 8:14Message from President IRIA
Dr. Pushpraj Bhatele
President IRIA
The ‘Indian Radiological Association’ took birth in 1931 in Calcutta with late Dr. Ajit Mohan Bose as founder President and Dr. Subodh Mitra as founder Secretary. It was got registered on 30th March 1937 under Registrar of Society Act XXI of 1860 at Kolkata with 37 Members. The aim of IRIA is to promote the study, practice of Diagnostic Radiological, Imaging Modalities, Interventional Radiology and other related subspecialties/super-specialties with objectives to protect and preserve the interest and welfare of members and to propagate, impart and adopt methods for community welfare. Since then, we at IRIA have always tried to fulfil these goals, to the best of our abilities.
I am happy to inform you that with the untiring efforts of Digital Committee, the Website of IRIA has been re-designed incorporating many new features including e-learning, job portal, log in page of each member etc. The Digital Committee under the stewardship of Dr. Gaurang Raval, Coordinator and his entire team has done a very hard work for the re-designing of the Website. They deserve a special appreciation for the same.I have set the following goals to achieve during my tenure as President of this esteemed organization. I would like to do agendas during my tenure such as having strong infrastructure in the form of buildings, offices, guest houses, properties owned by the central office and state chapters of IRIA all over India. I would like to promote the State/UT chapters to have their independent offices, workstations, guest houses etc. in their capital cities.
This year, IRIA is going to start a new program ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Program’. This important subject has skipped the attention of administration of center & state governments and NGOs. As decided in GBM and CCM held at Bengaluru, a committee has been formed to address this matter and it will intensity the awareness about breast cancer. IRIA will request the companies who manufacture the equipments which are used to diagnose and cure the breast cancer like mammography, Ultrasound devises etc. to reduce their cost. We will also request the Government to reduce the GST on these equipments so that cost of the same is reduced.
The last 2 decades saw unprecedented growth and advances in information technology. Radiology has always been about technology more than any other branch of medicine. Radiology has been frontier of medicine into technology. Radiology has benefitted more than any other branch of medicine from technology advances in last century. Therefore, Artificial intelligence is the next frontier for Radiology in the coming decade. In order to learn more about AI, it has been decided to start an examination course in Artificial Intelligence. The AI committee is working on the same and it will be announced soon.
In order to improve the health of the members of IRIA – physical, mental, social well being, the ‘Radiology Arogya Clinic of IRIA’ has been formed with the aim to improve the health of the members of IRIA by organizing health related CMEs, wellness clinic booths at CMEs/Conferences etc. The camps for Yoga, Sports, adventurous activities etc. will also be organized by the Radiology Arogya Clinic. Dr. Chandraprakash is the Coordinator of Radiology Arogya Clinic who is working very hard on this subject.
IRIA in coordination with YUWA WING and RADIOLOGY AROGYA CLINIC is also organizing the “IRIA OLYMPICS 2022-2023” for the radiologists. The final event will be held in Amritsar, in January 2023 during the 75th Annual Conference of IRIA. IRIA believes in the holistic development of her members and encourages everybody to participate in all sporting endeavours.
IRIA is also doing its bit for the local public in the form of Preventing Radiology, Samrakshan, Raksha programs etc.
I am pleased to inform that IRIA has initiated a multi centric research study on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) to determine the comparative diagnostic effectiveness of imaging modalities for NAFLD and NASH in an Asian Indian Population. The study will be implemented by the Preventive Radiology Committee of IRIA and through the IRIA Research and Education Committee and will provide useful information to help the diagnosis of NAFLD and NASH using imaging modalities in our population. The Preventive Radiology Committee of IRIA has solicited applications from participants interested to be part of this multicentric study. The applications are open for members of IRIA and residing in India, with experience in the use of SWE and VCTE and MR Elastography for the diagnosis of NAFLD & NASH and working in settings with an adequate caseload of people with NAFLD & NASH. I request the members to participate in this program activity.
I am very happy to see that ICRI has made a world record by organizing teaching programs for the residents, young and budding Radiologists daily without any break. They are determined to repeat the same this year also. Dr. V.N. Varaprasad, Chairman and Dr. Sikandar Shaikh, Secretary ICRI and their entire team deserves a special appreciation for the same. Moving further, ICRI is also conducting Masters In Clinical Radiology (MICR), an examination equivalent to FRCR and Fellowships in different sub-specialties (F-ICRI). This is great milestone in the history of ICRI.
IJRI has almost ready with its additional Journal ‘Indographics’. My heartiest congratulations to Dr. C. Kesavadas, Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Ankur Shah, Joint Editor cum Secretary and their team for the new Journal.
The Textbook of Clinical Radiology which was released at Bangalore in January 2022 is almost ready and booking of the same has been started. I request all the members to book their copy at discounted rates.
I request the members to participate in the various activities of the association. Please feel free to contact me in any matter related to our beloved association.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Pushpraj Bhatele
President IRIA
