INDIAN SOCIETY OF NEURORADIOLOGY
                            Regd. No:781/99-2000

History of Neuroradiology in Lucknow & its Surroundings

Neurological sciences were established and practiced at King Georges Medical College, Lucknow since early sixties with P.N.Tandon as the Head of the Department of Neurosurgery.  Neuroradiology was limited to direct puncture carotid angiography, PEG and myelography performed at the Neurosurgery department.  A dedicated head scanner was installed in this department in 1986.  At present NeuroRadiology at King Georges Medical College is looked after by Prof. Neera Kohli from Radiology in collaboration with Department of Neurosurgery.  The inception of Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences at Lucknow in 1986-87 gave a big boost to neurological sciences in the city.  The radiology Department of this institute, equipped with a 3rd generation CT scanner.  Myelography and tomography equipments and a digital substraction angiograpy unit, provided the full range of the neuroradiological services.  The radiology Department identified and allocated early in its developing stage, expert personnel for handling the neuroradiological work.  The expert and trained at different leading institutions of the country such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Techonogy, Trivendrum and Institute of Nuclear Medicine an Allied Sciences, Delhi joined hands to undertake both diagnostic and interventional neuroradiological work since early nineties. 

Glue embolization of arteri-venous malformations, balloon embolization of carotid cavernous fistula and tumor embolization were the main procedures performed.  Over the years, the interventional work has significantly increased.  Vertebroplasty was started in 1999 and GDC treatment of aneurysm was started in 2001.  This is the only interventional facility of the king available in the State of Uttar Pradesh and it also caters to patients from adjoining states. 

A state of the 1.5 Tesla magnetic Resonance Imaging was installed at SGPGIMS, the first in the state of Uttar Pradesh in 1991.  This provided a quantum leap in the neuroradiological work.  Besides providing routine neuroradiological work.  Besides providing routine neuroradiology diagnostic support in this field, there was emphasis on better characterization of CNS infections that are seen in day to practice.  To achieve this, in vivo proton MR spectroscopy, Magnetization transfer MRI and gradient echo phase imaging has been used successfully in better tissue characterization of CNS tuberculosis, differentiation of T2 hypointense calcification from chronic hemorrage, differentiation of brain abscess from glioblastome multiforme, differentiation of pyogenic from tuberculous brin abscess.  Lately, Magnetization transfer technique has been used in better understanding of etiopathogenesis of neurocysticercosis related epilepsy.  More than 75 papers have been published in the leading international journals since 1991.  A spiral CT scanner capable of 3D CT reconstructions and CT angiogram was installed in 1997.  CT guided vertebral trucut biopsies are routinely performed in the department. 

The Department has recently (2001) started a one year post MD certificate course in the near future. 

Dr. Ratni gujral                        Prof. & head

Dr. R.V. Phadke                      Additional Professor

Dr. R.K. Gupta                        Additional Professor

Dr. Sunil Kumar                      Additional Professor

Dr. Vijay Sawlani                     Assistant Professor

Dr. Manoj Kathuria                  Assistant Professor 

In the last 10 years the city also witnessed installation of a number of CT scanners and at least 3 MR scanning unit in the private sector.  These installations, often manned by trainees from the Department, fulfill the neuroradiological requirements of the citys patients population.