About us

infoRADIOLOGIA.pl is a non-commercial website intended primarily for patients, as well as for anyone with an interest in radiology. The website is run by the PolradiologiaViva Foundation. We aim to show the practical side of radiology so that an encounter with this important medical specialty is free of uncertainty or distress. We are open to all comments and suggestions to make our website as useful as possible. All the materials on this site can be used for free, provided the source is acknowledged.

 

Editorial Board 

Editor-in-Chief: Prof. Andrzej Urbanik Dr.Sc.  CV;

Secretary: Małgorzata Tomera-Malczyk, MSc. Eng.

 

E-mail address: inforadiologia1@gmail.com

 

Report on activities

 

On 21 January 2016 the deed of foundation was issued for PolradiologiaViva (the original name Polradiologia Foundation), and the foundation was registered at the National Court Register on 7 July 2016.  The date for establishing the entity was selected on purpose, because on 21 January 1896, the Kraków daily  Czas published the news about the first Polish X-rays which were performed in Kraków by Professor of the Jagiellonian University Karol Olszewski.

The Foundation defined the following objectives for its operation:

1) to actively protect the heritage of Polish radiology, in particular to create and provide financing for a museum of Polish radiology,

2) to raise awareness about and promote diagnostic imaging,

3) to create conditions for the advancement of training in diagnostic imaging,

4) to sponsor scientific research programs, publications, conferences, symposia and competitions related to diagnostic imaging,

5) to support and sponsor cultural and sporting events for the radiological community.

 

The members of the Foundation act as volunteers even though there is no such stipulation in the statutes. The Foundation does not employ "third-party entities". 

  

  1. The year 2016 was a busy time because the 41st Congress of the Polish Medical Society of Radiology was organised then. Those involved in organisation of this event were members of the Foundation (two of them were also employees of the Department of Radiology at the Jagiellonian University Medical College).

 

  1. We have launched and we operate the website at www.inforadiologia.pl. The website is continuously expanded and improved in line with the suggestions we receive. Our newsletter is an integral part of the online service. Those who subscribe regularly receive news from the world of radiology.

 

  1. The section of inforadiologia.pl entitled "Useful materials" contains printable information materials and advertising banners (International Day of Radiology, Origins of Radiology, Preventive Mammography, October - Cancer Awareness Month) as well as video materials (Spring with mammography, Summer with mammography). The materials can be used for free. 

 

  1. The free materials available at inforadiologia.pl, include video clips posted in the section Radiology Techniques and presenting what the selected radiological examinations look like. The videos were made with patients in mind, however they are also used as teaching aids, for foreign students as well, that is why English versions are available. Interestingly, we were asked whether we had Spanish versions. That is why we have posted transcripts of the English voice-over commentaries on the website, so that these can easily be translated into any language.

 

  1. During 2016-2019 the Foundation also operated the website polradiologia.org. At present the address is a hub with links to Polish associations and journals related to diagnostic imaging.

 

  1. Every year, we provide support to entities organising such events as the student scientific conferences Young Electroradiology (ME) and Student Radiology Forum (SOFOR). We help prepare the programmes, recruit lecturers, organise accompanying exhibitions or give expert lectures. In 2020 (March), we made it possible to hold Poland's first online radiology conference (Young Electroradiology'2020) by providing a free web address and hosting (the same was done in 2021).

 

  1. Each year we fund the main prizes awarded during the student scientific conferences Young Electroradiology and Student Radiology Forum. The prize is a grant making it possible for the winner to participate in the European Congress of Radiology in Vienna.

 

  1. We designed and distributed instructions how to organise an e-conference with minimum costs or in fact at no costs so that it can be done by anyone. The information is also available on the website inforadiologia.pl in the section Education.

 

  1. Every year we provide organisational support for the Radiology Common Cause conference, which is intended primarily for electroradiology technicians, but also aims to integrate the Polish community associated with diagnostic imaging. In 2020 and 2021, we made it possible to organise the conference online by providing a free of charge web address and hosting.

 

  1. We have worked out the concept for the Museum of Polish Radiology as a multimedia historical and educational presentation, with the working name Radiolopolis. We are collecting exhibits and have renovated several valuable items. We are trying to obtain a suitable setting for the exhibition. So far, we have not been able to find an appropriate place that could be adapted to the needs of the facility. The problem lies in the adequate exhibition space. We have looked into several options but none has been feasible. We are continuing these efforts.   

         

  1. In 2018 we organised a small exposition in Frycz Modrzewski Kraków University presenting old X-ray instruments. The exhibition was launched in connection to ESOR course "Infection and Inflammatory Disorders" which we co-organised.

 

  1. In 2019, we organised an exhibition entitled "The beginnings of Polish Radiology" in the Jagiellonian University Library, consisting of several display walls. It attracted a lot of visitors, partly owing to its location.

 

  1. On 29 September 2019, a painting of Archangel Michael, the patron saint of radiologists, was consecrated in the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The painting, which was installed on one of the altars, was funded by our Foundation. This place was selected for the painting because the church is located in the University Hospital complex (19 Kopernika Street). The adjacent building for 100 years was home to the Department of Diagnostic Imaging which was established in the 1920s, and from 1951 the Department of Radiology of the Jagiellonian University's Medical College was also located there.

   

  1. During the period from 8 Nov. 2021 to 21 Jan. 2022 a historical exhibition entitled "125 years of Polish Radiology / 125 years of Radiology in Krakow" was on display in Dom Technika (headquarters of the Krakow branch of the Chief Technical Organisation (NOT)). It was organised jointly by our foundation and NOT Krakow as well as the Departments of Radiology and History of Medicine at the Jagiellonian University's Medical College. The exhibition attracted a lot of attention from the city and regional authorities, the radiological community as well as the general public unrelated to radiology. Notably, it was also popular with young people – the exhibition was visited by groups of secondary school students.         

    

  1. Another exhibition, "The world in electromagnetic rays", has also been on display since 8 November 2021 at the Dom Technika NOT in Kraków. It showcases 120 cameras, a historical X-ray apparatus as well as photographic and X-ray images of flowers and shells. We want to show that radiology makes it possible to reveal the beauty of "ordinary things".

 

  1. Every year, in the time preceding the International Day of Radiology (IDoR), we send out information materials to the mass media and we can say that these are presented in some of them, which contributes to raising awareness of Radiology. As a foundation, we are involved every year in organising IDoR exhibitions in Krakow and Rzeszow together with radiology student research clubs.

 

  1. We funded a memorial plaque which was unveiled on 21 January 2021 in Broniszów, the village where Prof. Karol Olszewski, the author of the first Polish X-rays, was born. We co-founded a similar plaque unveiled in Kraków in 2016 on the building where Prof. Olszewski took the first Polish X-ray images. 

 

  1. Based on the experience gained in the Department of Radiology at the Jagiellonian University Medical College and the Department of Electroradiology at the University of Rzeszów, we have prepared information on how to organise educational activities in radiology in compliance with the current requirements. We have prepared an article and a video clip discussing this subject matter; these are available in the Education section of inforadiologia.pl. We have sent these materials to all the universities in Poland that provide medical education. 

 

  1. We have published two books on the history of Polish radiology: Radiologia w kręgu Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego (Radiology at the Jagiellonian University) and Radiologia Polska w XIX i XX wieku (Polish Radiology in the 19th and 20th centuries). The latter was fully funded by the foundation. Both books are available online, to be downloaded for free. The paper versions are no longer available.

 

  1. Held on 7-8 October 2022, the conference of the International Society for History of Radiology was organised by the foundation in cooperation with the Departments of Radiology and History of Medicine at the Jagiellonian University's Medical College.   

           

  1. The foundation came up with the concept and organised the event of planting a tree within the Kraków City Park to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Polish Radiology.

 

  1. Since its inception, the Foundation has been promoting the idea to introduce practical ultrasound training as a permanent component of radiology curricula in the graduate medical courses. We have sent information to all medical universities, a few times, on how to organise an educational ultrasound laboratory (with an attached proposal for the training curriculum). We gave an example of how this was organised in the Department of Radiology at the Jagiellonian University Medical College. We also decided to initiate such training sessions for anyone that was interested. On 29-30 October 2022, using the resources of the Department of Radiology of the Jagiellonian University Medical College and with the support of Mindray, we organised such a nationwide, open and free-of-charge training for students, focusing on the basics of ultrasound, entitled "ABC-USG". The course was very well received (participants came from many places all over Poland) and gained very good opinions of those in attendance. We hope that this is the first step which will inspire similar initiatives. We also hope that our dream to have practical ultrasound training introduced as a permanent component of radiology curriculum at all medical schools in Poland will come true.

 

  1. The ability to perform Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) is necessary for all those working in healthcare. Because of this we promote the idea that the related training should be introduced in graduate courses in electroradiology. In 2022 we organised this type of course at the University of Rzeszów in collaboration with Young Electroradiology Student Research Club. Furthermore, as part of the support for Young Electroradiology 2023 Conference, this type of course was organised on the occasion of this event.

 

  1. We have posted a link to an extremely valuable document presenting 'Guidelines for doctors referring for imaging examinations' in the section Radiology Examinations – Guidelines. It is accessible free of charge to all.

 

  1. We regularly search for various types of Recommendations / Regulations / Guidelines / Standards / Opinions and post them on inforadiologia.pl in the section Radiology Examinations – Guidelines.


  1. In the History section, we have included links to four films promoting Polish Radiology. Three films were produced by our foundation. Two are in English, for distribution in foreign mass media.

 

  1. The "Worth reading - Miscellaneous" section contains sample documents that are useful for those running an association and for those organising scientific competitions for students, competitions for radiology student clubs and even congresses.

 

  1. We are involved in the promotion of the European Diploma in Radiology (EDiR) among Polish radiology residents. The Education section contains extensive information with the statistical data showing participation of Polish professionals in this exam during the first 10 years after it was introduced. We conducted an interview with EDiR Scientific Director during the European Congress of Radiology – ECR 2023. All this information was sent out via our mailing service.