# Neuroradiology- The view from the other side. (A survey of Neurologists and Neurosurgeons in India – November 2018)                                                  —- Dr. Ravi Ramakantan

- Link: https://isnr.in/neuroradiology-the-view-from-the-other-side-a-survey-of-neurologists-and-neurosurgeons-in-india-november-2018-dr-ravi-ramakantan/
- Published: 2021-01-08T14:05:14+05:30
- Author: ISNR

## Neuroradiology- The view from the other side. (A survey of Neurologists and Neurosurgeons in India – November 2018) —- Dr. Ravi Ramakantan

## The Background:

_In November 2018, I ran this survey amongst 2600 Neurologists, neurosurgeons and
a few residents in training from all over India. The survey ran for about 10 days
and levelled off at 160 responses._

_My main purpose in conducting this survey was to ascertain the relevance and importance
of reports related to neuroradiological studies generated by radiologists in today’s
practice environment and to ‘crystal-ball’ how the inevitable introduction Artificial
Intelligence in image interpretation will impact this.[](https://sites.google.com/view/patients-not-just-images/neuroradiology-view-from-the-other-side#h.p_JssNB7QO1aqt)_

_As and when possible, I will repeat such a study in other major specialities. Be
warned!!_

## 󠀁[󠀁[Why such a survey?

_When I am asked such a question, I wonder “Why not?” such a survey._

_We are here to ‘service’ the needs of patients through their physicians. It is 
very logical that they are the best people to tell us if we are doing our job right
and helping in patient care._

_We will never know this unless we ask the difficult question._

_Conversations with referring colleagues seldom reveal the harsh truth, much of 
criticism goes on beyond our earshot in hushed voices and cupped hands. I had [written about this](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1STyvHw3kPJMCLLAuZuhmr7RQPUC9MmV5N5pdiaR9FAk/edit)
long ago – and it is still true._

_Hence an anonymous survey is the only way forward, Warts, moles and all. I feel
that such survey conveys the broad truth and I am happy to work and learn from such
overarching responses._

## Why Neuroradiology?

_For long in my career, I have worked closely with neurologists and neurosurgeons
and I understand how they work with patients, neuroradiological studies and radiologists._

_In our country, neurosurgeons have in the past, taken the lead in performing radiological
investigations and have themselves performed many of the older invasive investigations._

_It is not surprising therefore, that I have learnt a whole lot of Neuroradiology
from Neurosurgeons._

_Dr. Sunil K. Pandya has taught me the most. Dr. Pandya for long, was the the Chief
of Neurosurgery at the KEM Hospital._

_In one such discussion Dr. Pandya mentioned an obvious truth when he said:_

_“Ravi, we have the advantage of seeing and examining the patient, then do and see
the radiology and we know from the operations we perform what it was. In addition
we ask for post mortem examinations on almost all our patients. Unfortunately, radiologists
rarely have such opportunities”._

_For more than a decade, Dr. Pandya had encouraged me to attend the ‘Brain Cutting
Session’- – so ably conducted by the Neuropathologist Dr. Anand Desai. Living in
the hospital quarters enabled me to attend ‘live’ postmortems as and when required._

_My teacher in Radiology, the late Dr. Jimmy Sidhwa who trained in Neuroradiology
in the UK in the 60s, can easily be called the first ‘Board Certified” Neuroradiologist
in our country. In the UK, he had trained with the doyens in Neuroradiology. His
astuteness in picking up findings and interpreting them was inspiring._

_A dear neurologist friend, the late Dr. Sorab Bhabha, would drag me each Friday
evening to “Ward 10” to take the post-admission evening rounds with him. This went
on for a decade or so. I did learn a bit of clinical neurology from this exercise._

_For decades, Friday mornings saw neuroradiology meetings with neurologists and 
sometimes, neurosurgeons. These interactions left me thinking how important it is
for the radiologist to understand the implications of what is said in radiology 
reports._

_The learning I have had in these three-way sessions is incomparable to any other
source of learning._

_More than anything else, this website devoted to the “Patient behind the Image”
owes its origins to experiences such as these._

 [ Results of the Survey ](https://sites.google.com/view/patients-not-just-images/neuroradiology-view-from-the-other-side/results)
[ Comments on the Results of the Survey ](https://sites.google.com/view/patients-not-just-images/neuroradiology-view-from-the-other-side/the-way-forward)
[ Link to Original Blog ](https://sites.google.com/view/patients-not-just-images/neuroradiology-view-from-the-other-side)