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Article citation: Michaela Lev-Ram. Technology provides Belarus
with a bridge to high-level radiology. Former Soviet state moves
forward with its first MDCT scanner. The global face of radiology
[Internet project] 2003 Jun 4 [cited 2003 Jul 8]. Available from:
URL: http://www2.dimag.com/globalfaceofradiology/world/?id=3868&news_section_id=15
Jun 4, 2003
Technology provides Belarus
with a bridge to high-level radiology. Former Soviet state moves
forward with its first MDCT scanner.
By Michaela Lev-Ram
According to Dr. Serguey Khoruzhik, his country is often compared
to a black hole.
 "A
lot of people don't even know about Belarus," said Khoruzhik,
a diagnostic radiologist and radiation therapist at N.N. Alexandrov
Research Institute of Oncology and Medical Radiology in Minsk.
"When I go to international meetings and tell people I am
from Belarus, I see the surprise in their eyes."
A small country of 10 million in the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS), Belarus doesn't turn up often in discussions of
radiological development, but the country's imagers are moving
forward, most notably with the recent acquisition of the country's
first multidetector CT scanner.
At age 29, Khoruzhik already has six years' experience as a full-time
radiologist under his belt, and he has established the two most
frequently used Russian language online radiological resources.
"News of Beam Diagnostics Belarus" is a radiology news
site, and "Basis of Radiological Images" offers access
to Belarussian teaching files.
In a recent interview with Diagnostic Imaging, Khoruzhik shed
some light on the difficulties, developments, and goals of Belarussian
radiology.
 "Our
training system is completely different from what is common in
the U.S. and is slowly changing in most of Western Europe. It
is much shorter. I consider this the weak aspect of our educational
system," he said.
Radiology residency in Belarus lasts just one year, although continuous
medical education is a requirement. Khoruzhik views the obligatory
one-month courses every three years for up to 12 years as the
strong side of medical training in his country. Radiologists are
free to choose subjects for these courses that are of particular
interest to them.
The private sector in Belarussian healthcare began to develop
three to five years ago. Most diagnostic equipment and services,
excluding some ultrasound, are solely state property. Although
patients are often willing to pay for exams, the healthcare system
in Belarus is still soviet: The nation's constitution includes
a provision for free healthcare. "Probably this is the last
such promise in the world," Khoruzhik said.
His 1000-bed hospital employs 18 radiologists and about 100 radiologic
staff, including nurses, radiographers, and technical personnel.
Ultrasound and CT are the most commonly used modalities in the
country, which has 26 CT units but 19 MR scanners.
 "The
status here is not in accordance with Western European standards,
but I do not consider it that bad," Khoruzhik said.
Other countries in the CIS may have more radiology machines, but
they also have long waiting lists for imaging examinations. Some
people die while waiting for radiation therapy.
"That is impossible in Belarus," Khoruzhik said. "Even
with limited resources, we do our best to provide full service.
Any patient requiring service will get it."
Requests for imaging have increased since Khoruzhik's hospital
bought its new multidetector CT scanner last year. The institute
previously performed 30 exams a day on conventional CT, but the
average jumped to 50 with MDCT.
"We have found that the new scanner has unique possibilities
that were not available before," Khoruzhik said. "That,
along with highly qualified radiologists in Minsk, provides us
with a high level of diagnoses and treatment."
With limited access to training and current radiology literature,
Belarussian radiologist have learned to improvise.
 "We
have to study by ourselves," Khoruzhik said. "Luckily,
information is not a problem nowadays because of the Internet."
Working with the most advanced CT scanner in the country, Khoruzhik
hopes to achieve one of the goals he has set for himself and for
the Republic of Belarus: to achieve the top level of clinical
diagnostic imaging. His other goals include active participation
in research and the formation of solid contacts between Belarus
and the international radiological community.
Khoruzhik is cofounder of the European Forum for Radiologists,
an international community of more than 400 radiologists who share
ideas and respond to one another's questions through an Internet
mailing list. He often consults with colleagues abroad on difficult
diagnostic cases, participates in several international radiology
conferences a year, and writes articles about Belarussian radiology
for the international community.
"Last year, the Belarussian football (soccer) team beat the
Netherlands in the World Cup," he said. "Now a few more
people know about Belarus."
A new multidetector CT scanner, along with a World Cup victory,
is sure to help put Belarus on the international map.
For a list of radiology teaching resources on the web, visit http://www2.dimag.com/globalfaceofradiology/resources/?id=3865.
Russian language radiology resources:
nld.by
nld.hut.ru/bri
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