Bassam Sawaf
Damascus University

The specialty of Radiology in Syria has been well stablished and recognized in the mid-twentieth century; and even then, it was still practiced by non-radiologists: internists and orthopedists. Early in the mid-seventies, a diploma in the specialty of Radiology was created by Damascus University, and later by other Syrian Universities.
This Diploma was granted to physicians who followed a formal three years training in a recognized program, and a took formal examinations.

Neuro-radiology in Syria is still part of General Radiology, like everywhere else in the world at the beginning. As time went by, a few Radiologists acquired the necessary skills to perform certain neuro exams, such as cerebral angiography and myelography.

With the evolution of C.T. and MR. scanners, a valuable tool was put in the hands of interested Radiologists for the diagnosis of neurological and neurosurgical disorders. And today the majority of CT and MR examinations performed in many well-equipped centers falls within the field of neuroradiology.

The rather very young Syrian Radiological Society, established in the early nineties of the past century, has gathered the general radiologists in Syria. It is hoped, in the near future, to establish a Syrian Neuroradiological Society, to gather the radiologists who are doing neuro-examinations and has acquired acceptable abilities in this field. A group of Neuroradiologists in Saudi Arabia, have taken the initiative to gather Neuroradiologist in other Arab countries, and established in 1992 a Pan Arab Neuroradiological Society (PANRS). Quite a few Arab members have joined this Society. Arab Neuroradiological societies will be members of the PANRS.

I take this opportunity, to extend to you my best personal regards. My colleagues in the SRS join me in expressing their best wishes and regards

(*) from “A History of Neuroradiology (1895-2002), E.A. Cabanis and MT Iba-Zizen Editors, Paris, 2002, pages 353-354, modified (published during the XVIIth symposium Neuroradiologicum, Luc Picard, President, Paris, France, August 18-24, 2002).