Radhi Hamza, M. Mhiri
EPS Charles Nicole

At the time that Neuroradiology in France was already a well-recognized subspecialty in the sixties, in Tunisia Neuroradiology was essentially performed in the Department of Neuroradiology at the Ernest Conseil Hospital presently named H6pital La Rahta, under the direction of Professor A. Bettaieb.
Neuroradiology was performed in his department by neurosurgeons and neurologists. Neuroradiological examinations included standard Rx films, myelography with Lipiodol and cerebral angiography.

It is in 1974 that the Institute for Neurology was founded in Tunis, including a department of Neurology, a department of Neurosurgery and a department of Neuroradiology. At that time already, the neuroradiological department was of high level: it had a complex tomography, craniography, remote control table for complex plain Rx films and angiography equipment. The department of Neuroradiology was conducted by Dr M. Mhiri who previously worked in the department of Neuroradiology at Hdpital Pitie-Salpetriere in Paris.

At this time, the neuroradiologists worked in close collaboration with neurosurgeons who still performed angiography and pneumo-encephalography.
It is in 1979 that Dr R. Hamza was nominated to the position of head of the department and it is since this time that the department was fully structured with dedicated senior doctors, residents and neuroradiological examination, were performed exclusively by radiologists.

Thanks to a decentralization policy in Tunisia, others faculties of medicine were opened, one in Sousse, one in Sfax and one in Monastir. In those 3 cities, dedicated unit of neuroradiology were created within the department of general radiology of the university hospitals.
It is important to stress the fact that in the Institute o Neurology in Tunis, the department of Neuroradiology is th, only department-of Radiology and is directed presently b Dr S. Touibi.

(*) 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).