Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and President of the Dubai Health Authority, Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board and Director General of the Dubai Health Authority, inaugurated today the 2nd edition of the Annual Radiology Meeting in the UAE, ARM, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Following the official opening ceremony, Al Qatami, accompanied by a number of officials, heads of delegations, and prominent specialists and speakers, toured the exhibition area where they were briefed about the latest technological advances and developments in the field of radiology and diagnostic imaging.

Al Qatami said, "What we are witnessing now, from rapid change in pathology and epidemiology, makes our top concern the question of the extent to which radiology is coping with all these changes. As one of the most important solutions for prevention, especially against cancer and other diseases that require early detection, and the necessary and rapid therapeutic intervention, radiology has become an important cornerstone."

He continued, "At Dubai Health Authority, we recognise the level of challenges facing us and acknowledge the value of the vital specialisation of radiology. In light of this, we are working diligently to ensure that radiology departments in our health facilities are the best there are when it comes to equipment and smart applications, thus empowering them to perform their responsibilities in the desired manner."

He added, "I'd like also to mention that the third edition of the Dubai Future Accelerators, adopts a very important course, which is to create a unique integrated intelligent system to improve the quality and accuracy of radiographs, and provide a reliable channel for sharing patient information between public and private hospitals. This will help doctors and technicians, and relieve the burden of patients having to repeat their radiography sessions, as patients will be able to receive copies of their radiography when they go to any private hospital from government facilities, and vice versa."

Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman of the Annual Radiology Meeting, said, "The Annual Radiology Meeting in the UAE is a highly specialised conference and exhibition, offering a unique opportunity for radiologists, radiographers, and specialists in this field to discuss various challenges in practicing radiology and gain valuable knowledge from experts in the industry. In the 2nd edition of ARM, we have over 42 speakers coming from more than 25 countries as far apart as Norway, Sweden, the USA, the UK, Bulgaria, South Africa, Korea, Saudi Arabia and the UAE."

Commenting on the significance of the Annual Radiology Meeting and how Dubai is home to premium medical conferences and exhibitions, Dr. Al Madani said, "INDEX is very honoured to be promoting Dubai as an international centre of advanced learning through organising highly specialised events like the Annual Radiology Meeting, and several other medical events."

Commenting on her participation in ARM for the first time, Professor Laura Oleaga, Professor of General Radiology and Chair of the ESR Education Committee, said, "Radiology right now is key in the diagnostic process. Nowadays in the era of patient centred medicine, radiology is the essential element in the diagnosis and also in the follow-up of patients and the assessment of treatment response."

She added, "As the Chair of ESR Education Committee, my participation in ARM is indeed a great opportunity to establish bridges between the UAE and the European society, which can contribute to the progress in the field of radiology."

The ARM this year features a rich scientific programme that will discuss several important topics, including MRI of operated knees, body imaging, chest imaging, imaging of lung cancer, imaging of pulmonary tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection, imaging of common cranial neuropathies, a simplified approach to the lymph nodes of the head and neck, amongst many other topics.

On the other hand, the exhibition attracts more than 40 participating brands in the field of radiology and diagnostic imaging to showcase their cutting-edge equipment and most updated medical devices used in the field.

The 2nd Annual Radiology Meeting in the UAE is organized by INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions, member of INDEX Holding, in partnership with the Radiology Society of the Emirates, and it is supported by the Radiology Society of Saudi Arabia, the European Society of Radiology and the UAE-India Business Council.