The Radiology Department of North Sichuan Medical College Affiliated Hospital was established in 1974, shortly after the hospital's founding. Over the past nearly 50 years, the department has achieved tremendous success in various aspects, laying a solid foundation for the prestigious position of radiological imaging in the province and gaining a high reputation nationwide. In 1985, the Ministry of Education approved the establishment of the first four "Radiology" professional programs in the country, with the Radiology Department as the foundation. In 1986, the first undergraduate students majoring in Radiology were enrolled. With the integration of ultrasound medicine and nuclear medicine, the "Radiology" major was renamed the "Medical Imaging" major in 1988. In 1998, the department was selected as one of the first "medical key disciplines" by the Sichuan Provincial Health Department. In 2007, it became the first batch of "Imaging Medicine and Nuclear Medicine" master's degree graduate training points in North Sichuan Medical College. In 2009, the Sichuan Province Science and Technology Department approved the establishment of the Medical Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, with the Radiology Department as the main body. In 2015, it became the first batch of "Imaging Medicine and Nuclear Medicine" postgraduate training points for clinical master's degrees in North Sichuan Medical College. In 2019, it became the first "Imaging Medicine and Nuclear Medicine" clinical doctoral degree joint training point established by Jinan University in our school.
The Department of Radiology is full of talents, and the department has formed a highly educated, reasonably structured and energetic academic team. There are more than 130 doctors, technicians and nurses on duty, including 9 professors (including 1 professor on the second level) and 12 associate professors. Among the experts with senior titles, there are 4 part-time doctoral supervisors from Jinan University and 18 master's supervisors from Chuanbei Medical College. As far as the academic structure is concerned, the Department of Radiology currently has 13 people who have obtained doctoral degrees, of which two professors, Zhang Xiaoming and Du Yong, are the earliest imaging doctors in Southwest China, and more than 90% of the diagnostic physicians on duty have obtained master's degrees. At present, there are 6 overseas returnees who have studied abroad for more than 1 year and 2 postdoctoral fellows in the Department of Radiology. Among the expert team of Radiology, there is one expert who enjoys the special allowance of the State Council, one recipient of the Ministry of Education's New Century Outstanding Talents Support Program, two academic and technical leaders of Sichuan Province, one chief expert of Sichuan Health Planning, one leading talent of Sichuan Health Planning, three recipients of the Outstanding Young Academic and Technical Leaders Training (Cultivation) Program of Sichuan Province, and five academic and technical leaders of the Sichuan Provincial Healthcare Commission. Members of the department have held important positions in domestic professional societies at all levels, and their academic status and clinical level have been widely recognized, including: members of the Radiology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, members of the Imaging Technology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and standing members of the Radiology Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, members of the Abdominal Group and Magnetic Resonance Group of the Radiology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and the President and Vice President of the Radiology Physicians Branch of the Sichuan Medical Doctors Association, and the President and Vice President of the Radiology Committee of the Sichuan Medical Association. He is the chairman of the Radiology Specialized Committee, the chairman of the Imaging Technology Specialized Committee, the vice chairman of the Interventional Specialized Committee, and the vice chairman of the Digital Medicine Specialized Committee of the Sichuan Medical Association, the chairman of the Radiology Specialized Committee, the chairman-designate of the Radiology Specialized Committee, and the chairman of the Digital Medicine Specialized Committee of the Nanchong Municipal Medical Association.
The Department of Radiology has advanced equipment and strong medical technology. The total value of radiology equipment exceeds 200 million yuan, with 4 MRIs, including 2 3.0T high-end MRIs and 2 1.5T MRIs; the department has 6 CT scanners, including 3 dual-source CTs and 128-slice spiral CT scanners, and 3 16-slice spiral CT scanners; 4 digital subtraction angiography machines (DSA), 3 digital gastrointestinal machines, 9 digital X-ray machines, 2 digital mammography machines, 2 digital panoramic dental film scanners, 2 cone beam CT scanners, and 1 bedside digital X-ray machine. 2 digital mammography machines, 2 digital panoramic dental radiography machines, 2 cone-beam CT scanners, and 1 bedside digital X-ray machine.
Based on the concept of "patient-centered", the Department of Radiology wholeheartedly provides patients with high-quality diagnostic imaging services. The Department of Radiology has formed a pattern of coordinated development of multiple subspecialties with clinical diagnostic radiology as the main body and interventional radiology, molecular imaging, three-dimensional processing and clinical application of medical images, artificial intelligence and other research directions as supplements. In diagnostic imaging of abdominal diseases, with high diagnostic and technical level, we have carried out early diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, severity and CT and MRI evaluation of pancreatic cancer invasion of abdominal ganglia; we have accumulated considerable clinical experience in staging and resectability of esophageal cancer, evaluation of interventional efficacy of hepatocellular carcinoma, grading of severity of hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis, CT and MRI staging of gastric and rectal tumors, etc. We have also obtained a large number of clinical experiences and achieved a lot of results. He has accumulated considerable clinical experience and achieved a large number of high-level academic results, which have won the First Prize and Second Prize of Sichuan Provincial Scientific and Technological Progress as well as the Chinese Medical Science and Technology Prize and the Huaxia Medical Science and Technology Prize. In abdominal diseases, radiofrequency ablation intervention for small liver cancer, intravascular embolization and perfusion chemotherapy intervention for liver cancer, and transjugular portal vein shunt (TIPS) treatment for cirrhosis are also carried out. In the nervous system, CT perfusion imaging is used to evaluate cerebral ischemic lesions, CT angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) are used to evaluate intracranial and extracranial vascular lesions, MRI functional imaging is used to evaluate cerebral infarction in the hyper-acute stage, MRI spectral analysis is used to differentiate between tumorigenic and non-tumorigenic lesions, resting-state magnetic resonance imaging is used to study the brain structural and functional network connectivity, and magnetic resonance to carry out cerebral and spinal nerve imaging, and collaborate with the Stroke Center to carry out neurointerventional diagnostic and treatment techniques for hemorrhagic and ischemic diseases. In the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of thoracic diseases, especially the differential diagnosis of lung nodules, we have taken the lead in carrying out multilayer spiral CT low-dose lung cancer screening in Sichuan Province. With the accumulation of experience in the early diagnosis of lung cancer, more and more early stage lung cancers have been detected in early stage and treated with timely surgery, and the 5-year survival rate has exceeded 90%. At the same time, advanced dual-source CT and 128-slice high-end spiral CT are utilized to carry out chest three-dimensional post-processing technology, which enables timely diagnosis of thoracic vascular diseases such as pulmonary artery embolism, aortic coarctation, and cardiac coronary artery imaging, and wins the time for treatment. For breast cancer imaging diagnosis, with high diagnosis and technology level, it carries out breast cancer magnetic resonance multimodal imaging detection. In musculoskeletal system diseases, focusing on the imaging diagnosis of common diseases such as bone tumors, spine diseases, joint diseases, etc., the department carries out MRI multi-sequence imaging of knee, sacroiliac joints, hip joints, ankle joints, shoulder joints, etc., and also carries out new technologies such as interventional and minimally invasive treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.
The Department of Radiology takes teaching and talent training as its responsibility and strengthens the training of talents at all levels. There are three teaching and research departments in the Department of Radiology, which are "Diagnostic Radiology", "Imaging Technology" and "Interventional Radiology". The Department of Radiology undertakes the teaching of Diagnostic Radiology, Medical Imaging Technology, Clinical Medicine and Physician Excellence of medical specialties of Chuanbei Medical College, as well as the teaching of Medical Imaging Technology, Professional English and Interventional Radiology of Medical Imaging and Medical Imaging Technology specialties, with a total of more than 3,000 teaching hours per year. The Department of Radiology has always insisted on strengthening the cultivation of high-level talents based on undergraduate education and focusing on postgraduate education. Currently, there are nearly 120 master's degree students studying in the department, and 2 doctoral degree students studying in Jinan University. The Department of Radiology is also a national standardized training base for residents and specialists, with more than 40 standardized residents and specialist trainees trained annually. The Department of Radiology also undertakes internships for medical imaging and medical imaging technology students from Sichuan North Medical College and other colleges and universities, and the total number of interns is more than 60 per year. The department accepts advanced training physicians from primary hospitals all year round, and trains more than 10 advanced training physicians every year.
The Department of Radiology has always emphasized on academic research, which is fruitful. So far, the department has participated in one key research and development program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, undertaken 12 National Natural Science Foundation of China as the person in charge, one New Century Outstanding Talents Support Program of the Ministry of Education of China, two special projects for young scientific and technological innovation team of Sichuan Province, and three Outstanding Youth Science and Technology Funds of Sichuan Province. He has won one first prize, two second prizes and one third prize for scientific and technological progress in Sichuan Province as the first complete person, and one Chinese Medical Science and Technology Award and one Huaxia Medical Science and Technology Award as the participant. He has been authorized 5 national invention patents and nearly 10 new utility patents. The Department of Radiology has published nearly 200 SCI papers, including the first author or corresponding author in the Chinese Academy of Sciences division 1 SCI journals Analytical Chemistry, Biosensors & Bioelectronics, Acta Biomaterialia, Materials Science & Engineering C-Materials for Biological Sciences and Biological Engineering C-Materials for Biological Sciences and Biological Engineering C-Materials for Biological Sciences and Biological Sciences. Engineering C-Materials for Biological Applications, and Radiology, and has published an average of 60 scientific papers (including more than 30 SCI papers) annually in recent years. The Department of Radiology has edited or participated in the writing of more than 20 academic monographs and textbooks, and has participated in the writing and publication of 6 diagnostic imaging standards, guidelines and expert consensus.
The Department of Radiology of the Affiliated Hospital of Sichuan North Medical College always adheres to the spirit of "dedication, fraternity, truth-seeking and innovation", attaches importance to the synergistic development of medical treatment, teaching and research, and is determined to make progress and achieve excellence, and all the members of the department are striving to create new glories!
There are 62 medical, technical and nursing employees in CT/MR room, including 9 professors or chief physicians, 7 associate professors, 6 returned overseas students and 13 master's degree supervisors. There are 2 postdoctoral fellows, 13 PhDs (2 are studying) and 20 masters (1 is studying). There are 2 persons appointed as editorial board members of international professional authoritative magazines and 10 persons appointed as editorial board members of national magazines. 14 persons have entered the national professional academic committee and 15 persons have entered the provincial professional academic committee. There are 2 academic and technical leaders and 3 reserve candidates in Sichuan Province, and 5 academic and technical leaders in Sichuan Health Department. In terms of hardware equipment, the equipment above 1 million include: three 16-slice spiral CT, four 128-slice spiral CT, one dual-source CT, three 1.5T magnetic resonance machines, and two 3.0T magnetic resonance machines.The CT/MR room contains two teaching and research departments of diagnostic radiology and radiologic technology, with an average of 3,000 teaching hours per year; an average of 90 postgraduates, 10 trainees, and 40 undergraduates undergoing rotations in the department every year. Every year, there are 90 postgraduates, 10 regulation students, and 40 undergraduates rotating in the department to strengthen the practical operation experience. Every year, the department has many edited books published, and published more than 50 academic papers, of which more than 20 are SCI, more than 20 are Chinese core journals, and 2 teachers have published academic papers as the first author in Radiology, the top journal in the international imaging field. The department has undertaken scientific research projects at national level, provincial science and technology department, education department, health department and Nanchong science and technology bureau, and has won many provincial science and technology awards and municipal science and technology awards. The department now carries out projects to meet clinical needs, and at the same time develops new projects and technologies, such as: CT/MRI coronary artery and systemic vascular imaging, CT/MRI perfusion imaging, fetal magnetic resonance imaging (prenatal screening), three-dimensional imaging of organs, and magnetic resonance high-resolution imaging of the vessel wall.
The CT Intervention Room of our hospital carried out interventional therapy in 2001, which is one of the earlier units in the province to carry out CT interventional therapy. After nearly 20 years of accumulation and precipitation, the department started to carry out MRI intervention in July 2020, and completed the first case of MRI-guided microwave ablation treatment for liver tumor in Southwest China. The department has Phillips 16-row spiral CT, Siemens 1.5T large aperture MRI scanner, tumor cryotherapy system, multi-functional tumor microwave therapy instrument (MRI-compatible), U.S. CoolTip radiofrequency therapeutic instrument, neurological radiofrequency instrument, German joimax intervertebral foramenoscopes, Germany Herman ozone therapeutic instrument, and MRI-compatible cardiac monitor, etc., which can meet a variety of therapeutic needs. A variety of advanced equipment can meet a variety of treatment needs. The department has a total of 13 medical, technical and nursing staff, including 2 professors, 1 associate professor, 2 attending physicians, 2 residents, 1 technician; 1 postdoctoral medical doctor, 2 medical doctors, 3 doctoral students, 2 masters of medicine, of which 6 have obtained the qualification of Good Clinical Practice (GCP). Since the establishment of the department, it has always adhered to the tenet of patient-centered and wholeheartedly serving people's health, and has continuously introduced new technologies and carried out new projects to contribute to the development of medical and healthcare undertakings in the northeast region of Sichuan. Members of the department serve as national members of the Medical Informatics Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, national members of the Professional Committee of Minimally Invasive Medicine of the Chinese Medical Association, vice president of the China Pain and Rehabilitation Industry Technology Innovation Strategy Alliance, chairman of the Digital Medicine Committee of the Sichuan Medical Association, vice chairman of the Pain Committee of the Sichuan Medical Association, vice chairman of the Pain Committee of the Sichuan Medical Association, executive member of the Interventionalists Branch of the Sichuan Medical Association. He is a standing member of the Interventionalists Branch of Sichuan Physicians Association. He has more than ten projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Outstanding Youth Fund of Sichuan Science and Technology Department, etc. He has won the Sichuan Science and Technology Progress Award and Nanchong Science and Technology Progress Award for a number of times, and has published more than three hundred papers in domestic and foreign professional journals.
Our Radiology Intervention Department (Vascular Intervention) was founded in the 1990s, which is the earliest department in our hospital to carry out vascular intervention diagnosis and treatment, and has set a precedent for a number of vascular interventions in our hospital. After nearly 30 years of development, there are now 25 medical and nursing staff, including 8 doctors and 17 nursing team members. There are 3 senior titles and 8 intermediate titles in the team, including 1 postdoctoral fellow, 2 PhDs and 4 masters. Members of the department serve as the deputy director of the Sichuan Interventional Medicine Specialized Committee and the standing committee of the Interventional Physicians Branch of Sichuan Physicians Association. The department has 4 sets of advanced angiography machines, 2 interventional operating rooms are planned to be built, the existing operating space and equipment can meet all the vascular interventional procedures, and will soon have 6 interventional operating rooms including advanced hybridization operating room. The department is responsible for the teaching of undergraduate medical imaging and medical imaging technology majors of Sichuan North Medical College as well as the teaching, scientific research and clinical work of regulation students and postgraduates. The department has participated in the editing of the 2017 edition of the National 12th Five-Year Plan Textbook "Interventional Radiology" by People's Health Publishing House, which has been used by many higher medical and health colleges and universities in China. The department has published more than 100 academic papers above core journals and more than 20 SCI papers in recent years. It has won one second prize of Sichuan Provincial Scientific and Technological Progress Award, one second prize of Sichuan Provincial Medical Science and Technology Progress Award, one third prize of Sichuan Provincial Scientific and Technological Progress Award, and many municipal scientific and technological awards.
The General Radiology Group of the Department of Radiology of the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College was founded in 1974, and after more than 40 years of development and the unremitting enterprising and cultivation of several generations of radiologists, it has developed from the primary X-ray examination with fluoroscopy, film radiography, gastrointestinal imaging, urological imaging, and plain tomography as the main contents, to the modernized X-ray examination with complete digitization and a wide range of types. Provide patients with digital radiography, a variety of digital special imaging examination. The revolution from film to digital has been realized.
Currently, the department has 9 digital X-ray machines, 2 mobile X-ray machines, 1 bedside DR machine, 3 digital gastrointestinal machines, 1 digital breast machine, 2 dental digital photography systems, 2 oral and maxillofacial CT (CBCT), 1 bone densitometer, and has built a PACS network covering the whole hospital.
There are 7 senior professionals and technicians in the Department of Radiology, which is a combination of the old, middle-aged and young generations, covering all professional systems of general radiology. Every year, the department trains nearly 100 master students in medical imaging, standardized training students in medical imaging, advanced training students, and undergraduate internship students in imaging. It also undertakes the teaching of medical imaging diagnosis of various specialties of Sichuan North Medical College all year round.
In the new period of medical and health care development, the Radiology Department of Affiliated Hospital of Sichuan North Medical College will be based on the concept of people-oriented and patient service, and will continue to forge ahead and innovate in order to provide more advanced and humanized high-quality services for the majority of patients.