In this Issue: April 2020

I am frequently met with confused expressions when I tell other physicians, including radiologists, that I am an emergency radiologist. Most people are not aware that such a subspecialty exists within radiology, and almost all inquire as to what the profession entails.

The field of emergency radiology initially emerged to meet demands for 24/7 diagnostic radiology coverage and has grown as imaging utilization has skyrocketed in emergency departments, both in academic and private practices. Our academic institution covers five emergency departments, including a level 1 trauma and comprehensive stroke center, and emergency radiologists provide final reports on all imaging studies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Our residents and fellows are trained in emergency pathology, department-specific imaging workflow, best protocols and practices, utilization of advanced imaging techniques including dual-energy CT and rapid protocol MRI, as well as incorporating artificial intelligence into daily practice. We work closely with emergency medicine physicians and acute-care/trauma surgeons to care for adult and pediatric patients with both traumatic and nontraumatic acute illnesses, with an emphasis on rapid, comprehensive, and accurate diagnoses. This includes stroke, head and neck, thoracic, vascular, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, and head to toe trauma imaging utilizing conventional radiography, CT, MRI, ultrasound, fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine.

In this emergency radiology issue of the JAOCR, our goal was to complement the recent issue on trauma imaging by highlighting several stimulating nontrauma topics encountered in emergency radiology. Our review articles emphasize common oncologic emergencies in the abdomen and pelvis and lay the foundation for approaching neck infections — two daunting conditions encountered in the emergency department. Our case reviews and Viewbox articles feature a variety of musculoskeletal, vascular, gastrointestinal, and pulmonary conditions that may cause diagnostic dilemmas for radiologists.

I am privileged to serve as guest editor for this issue, and I would like to thank my mentor and colleague Christopher Cerniglia, D.O., for nominating me for this role, and Daniel Wale, D.O., for his guidance and support throughout this project. Residents from our program were heavily involved in each article, and I am indebted to all our department faculty for their mentorship. We hope these articles will both educate our readership on the selected clinical subjects and provide a glimpse into the scope of emergency radiology.