Women in Radiology: A perspective from Spain.

INTRODUCTION: There are gender inequalities in all fields, including radiology. Although the situation is improving, the presence of radiologists in leadership positions continues to be a minority. The objective of this article is to analyse the situation of women in the spanish radiology, comparing it with Europe and the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected the years 2000-2022 as reference period to make a comparison with feminization data throughout history. In addition, relevant specific data from the just begun 2023 were also included. The variables in which we investigated feminization were the following: medical students, medical graduates, radiology residents and specialists, section chiefs, department chairs, radiology residency programme directors, radiology university professors, presidents of the main radiological entities and societies in Spain, Europe and the United States, recipients of the main awards given by these radiological societies and chief editors of their journals. In order to perform this analysis we conducted an in-depth bibliographic research, we contacted the radiological societies of Spain, Europe and the USA and we carried out a survey in the main Spanish radiology departments. RESULTS: The female presence in radiology decreases as we rise to leadership positions, a situation that is patent in Spain, Europe and the US, comparison that will be analysed in depth throughout the article. In Spanish hospitals in 2021 there were 58.1% female radiology residents, 55% female radiologists, 42.9% female section chiefs and 24.4% female department chairs. In SERAM's history there have been 10% female presidents, 22% female gold medallists and 5% female editors-in-chief. If we analyse data from 2000 to 2023, female presidents reach 32% and female gold medallists 31%. CONCLUSIONS: Although gender inequality is declining, in radiology women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions. Work must be done in order to build a diverse and inclusive profession that reflects demographic reality.

Diagnostic value of CT, PET and combined PET/CT performed with low-dose unenhanced CT and full-dose enhanced CT in the initial staging of lymphoma.

AIM: The aim of this paper was to compare the accuracy of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), unenhanced low-dose PET/CT (LD-PET/CT) and full-dose enhanced PET/CT (FD-PET/CT) for the initial staging of lymphoma. METHODS: One hundred and one lymphoma patients were examined by [18F]FDG-PET/CT including unenhanced low-dose CT and enhanced full-dose CT. Each modality of PET/CT was evaluated by a nuclear medicine physician and a radiologist unaware of the other modality, while the CT and PET images were interpreted separately by another independent radiologist and nuclear medicine physician respectively. The nodal and extranodal lesions detected by each technique were compared with a reference standard. RESULTS: For nodal assessment, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), positive likelihood ratio (LR+), and negative LR (LR-) of LD-PET/CT were 97%, 96%, 98%, 95%, 26 and 0.02 respectively, and those of FD-PET/CT were 97%, 97%, 98%, 95%, 36 and 0.02. These results were significantly better than those of PET (sensitivity 82%, specificity 81%, PPV 88%, NPV 72%, LR+ 4.3, LR- 0.21). Likewise, both PET/CT displayed a higher sensitivity, NPV and LR- than CT (91%, 84%, 0.1 respectively). For organ evaluation, both modalities of PET/CT also had significantly better sensitivity and NPV than that of PET (LD-PET/CT: sensitivity 92%, NPV 90%; FD-PET/CT sensitivity 94%, NPV 92%; PET: sensitivity 70%, NPV 69%). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for bone marrow involvement were 29%, 84%, 45% and 72% respectively for PET, and 29%, 90%, 56%, and 74% for both, LD-PET/CT, and FD-PET/CT. No significant differences were found between LD-PET/CT and FD-PET/CT, but FD-PET/CT detected important incidental findings in 5.9% of patients. CONCLUSION: PET/CT is an accurate technique for the initial staging of lymphomas without significant differences between LD-PET/CT and FD-PET/CT. FD-PET/CT detects relevant incidental findings that are missed on LD-PET/CT.

[What is the National Commission for the Specialty of Diagnostic Imaging and what is its purpose?]. / Comisión Nacional de la especialidad de Radiodiagnóstico. ¿Qué es y para qué sirve?

The National Commission for the Specialty of Diagnostic Imaging is an organ of the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs and of the Ministry of Education that is responsible for the evaluation of the training of specialists in diagnostic imaging. Within the chapter on the training of radiology residents, the jurisdiction and function of the Nation Commission for the Specialty of Diagnostic Imaging are described as including the elaboration of a training program, the elaboration of the resident's logbook, the establishment of criteria for evaluation, the proposal of areas of specific competence, the establishment of criteria for the evaluation of teaching and training units, and the participation in the design of integrated plans within the specialty. Other, merely administrative, functions that have repercussions in the radiological community are also detailed.