Beyond the Gray Scale: Using the Arts to Elevate our Work in Radiology

Abstract

It is no secret that radiology is a field with roots in physics and mathematics. However, there also are long standing connections between radiology and the arts. Certainly, many physicians are aware of the long history of artistic illustrations as a primary means of teaching anatomy. Many revered artists were also anatomists, including luminaries such as Michelangelo Buonarroti and Leonardo da Vinci (1). With the advent of radiographic imaging following Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen's discovery of x-rays in the late nineteenth century, anatomic education transitioned into a reliance on medical imaging and technology, with increasing complexity as the field blossomed in the twentieth century (2).