2015 was a good year for radiology as radiologists across the world celebrated the recognition of DNA repair by the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich, and Aziz Sancar.
The Nobel Prize committee described how Lindahl, Modrich, and Sancar have made fundamental and groundbreaking discoveries on the enzymatic mechanisms of DNA repair.
Lindahl demonstrated that DNA is an inherently unstable molecule, subject to decay even under physiological conditions. Guided by this observation, Lindahl identified a completely new group of DNA glycosylases and described their role in base excision repair. Modrich transformed the field of mismatch repair from genetic observations to a detailed biochemical understanding, first in bacteria, and later in eukaryotic cells. Sancar has transformed the field of nucleotide excision repair, from genetics and phenomena in cell extracts, to a detailed molecular description of the mechanisms involved, first in bacteria, and later also in eukaryotic cells. Sancar also explained the molecular mechanisms underlying photoreactivation, the first form of DNA repair described.
The American College of Radiologists describes the basics of the profession as “medical doctors or doctors of osteopathic medicine who specialise in diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries using medical imaging techniques, such as x-rays, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography and ultrasound.”
Radiology colleagues in the MENA region may soon be following in the footsteps of their colleagues, as more and more interesting research in the field of radiology emerges from within the Middle East.
A recent article in Auntminnie.com discussed new research from the United Arab Emirates that reveals how the region is targeting ever-optimized dosage in imaging and how dose awareness is becoming of greater importance within the radiological community. Lead author and chair of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) Radiation Protection Committee, Dr. Jamila Al Suwaidi, believes that this latest study will contribute to establishing UAE diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) and will highlight dose safety.
With the total number of medical imaging exams performed by government hospitals in Dubai alone increasing 11.3% to 400,775 in 2015, compared with 360,207 in 2014, there is added pressure on authorities across the country to implement stringent radiation safety standards in medical imaging, said Al Suwaidi who spoke at the latest Total Radiology conference in January 2016 in Dubai.
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