World Federation of Neuroradiological Societies

Abstract

Nancy, To : Members of WFNRS Presidents National Societies of Neuroradiology Individual Members of National Societies of Neuroradiology The World Federation of Neuroradiological Societies — WFNRS — was originally conceived by Prof. Derek Harwood-Nash and was established in 1993. The mission statement reads: WFNRS is an umbrella organization composed of 25 national and regional neuroradiological societies. It fosters international saentific and educational programs in neuroradiology and promotes cooperative projects between its member organizations and those in allied disciplines. This mission statement is held in very general terms and can be claimed to be non-committing! It is almost 20 years since the WFNRS was established and Radiology and Neuroradiology in particular, has seen a breathtakingly quick technical development not only in our discipline but also in the society in general. Internet and the advent of rapid data communications have redrawn the map and completely changed the conditions for an organisation like WFNRS. Although the social aspects of a scientific meeting can not be underestimated, the traditional way of communicating experiences and scientific ideas during large and small scientific meetings and courses is not fast enough and new types of meeting places are established every day. The WFNRS has an organisation and particularly a constitution of the past and has yet to take the step into the 21st Century. Whether we like it or not, radiology as a single discipline is unlikely to survive. Future neuroradiologists will probably not need to have general radiology training. Thus it will be necessary to reform the training of neuroradiologist into becoming a neuroscientist with an imaging profile with or without competence in endovascular treatment. It will be necessary to reorganise future departments of radiology in order to support organ or disease process oriented work flow with distributed equipment localised close to the patient and in an intellectual environment with organ-specialised clinicians of various profiles. The nature of neuroradiology today is not a specialty focused on producing an ever increasing number of examinations and reports but rather a clinical specialty in which the neuroradiologist can have an intellectual exchange of knowledge and skills providing added to patient care with his or her particular competence in imaging interpretation and minimally invasive treatment as applied in patients with diseases of the central nervous system. This is the challenge of the new decade and the early parts of the 21st Century! It is this understanding of our future that must guide the activities of the WFNRS the next decade. We should not be in the business of arranging courses or meetings. There are other organisations far better equipped and proficient in these tasks. We should not think that we can have a leading role in research or providing networks for exchange of scientific news. This is done anyway! It is for this reason that the outgoing and incoming presidents of the WFNRS has agreed to present the following program for the next four years. It is to realise this program that we ask your approval 1. The future of WFNRS we believe is to a significant degree in cyber space. We are convinced that the most important mode of communication with a world wide membership is over internet. 2. We plan to use the funds remaining from previous contributions to develop a web-site of WFNRS. 3. We propose a nominal fee for society membership in WFNRS for the coming two years — USD 50.00 for annual membership 2010-2011 4. We will perform an inventory of those training charters available in different parts of the world. These charters will be made available on the web-site 5. This inventory should be used to formulate WFNRS guidelines about training in diagnostic and interventional neuroradiology 6. We propose that WFNRS will prepare and formulate Technical and Professional Guidelines in other areas such as: a. Continuing medical education/continuing professional development b. Quality assurance c. Accreditation of training centres d. Good medical care in neuroradiology e. Good standard of practice in interventional neuroradiology f. Postgraduate training — examination 7. Support subspecialisation within neuroradiology a. Support preparation of Technical and Professional Guidelines b. Invite subspecialisation societies to join WFNRS 8. Provide a discussion forum for the future of neuroradiology a. Future training of neuroradiologists b. Relationship with neuro science c. Foster exchange of ideas within neuroscience d. Future training of neuroscientists with imaging profile It is our conviction that WFNRS could play an important role in the coming decade provided that the activities of the Federation add value to the membership societies, and their members. Should we fail in this concept, and you are the judges about our success, it is possible that the world of neuroradiology would do well without a World Federation. Sincerely yours Luc Picard President WFNRS Olof Flodmark President Elect WFNRS