The development of nuclear medicine in Slovenia and Ljubljana; half a century of nuclear medicine in Slovenia

english

2012

volume 46, issue 1

History   Hospital Departments   Nuclear Medicine   Trends

Društvo radiologije in onkologije
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

Background. Nuclear medicine began to be developed in the USA after 1938 when radionuclides were introduced into medicine and in Europe after radionuclides began to be produced at the Harwell reactor (England, 1947). Slovenia began its first investigations in the 1950s. This article describes the development of nucleor medicine in Slovenia and Ljubljana. The first nuclear medicine interventions were performed in Slovenia at the Internal Clinic in Ljubljana in the period 1954-1959. ln 1954, Dr Jože Satler started using radioactive iodine for thyroid investigations. In the same year, Dr Bojan Varl, who is considered the pioneer of nuclear medicine in Slovenia, began systematically introducing nuclear medicine. The first radioisotope laboratories were established in January 1960 at the Institute of Oncology and at the Internal Clinic. Under the direction of Dr. Varl, the laboratory at the Internal Clinicdeveloped gradually and in 1973 became the Clinic for Nuclear Medicine with departments for in viva and in vi/ro diagnostics and for the treatment ofinpatients and outpatients at the thyroid department. The Clinic for NuclearMedicine beca me a teaching unit of the Medical Faculty and developed its own post-graduate programme- the first student enrolled in 1972. In the 1960s, radioisotope laboratories opened in the general hospitals of Slovenj Gradec and Celje, and in the I 970s also in Maribor. Izola and Šempeter pri Novi Gorici. Conclusions. Nowadays, nuclear medicine units are modernly equipped and the staff is trained in morphological, functional and laboratory diagnostics in c1inical medicine. They also work on the treatment of cancer, increased thyroid function and other diseases.

14.11.2013