Musculoskeletal Radiology Around the Globe: Current Practice and Future Directions

Developments in radiology around the globe have been driven by educational systems and economics. Since the earliest descriptions by Roentgen and the establishment of colleges of radiology in Britain and the United States in the early 1900s, the specialization in and practice of radiology has evolved from an adjunct to clinical medicine to current practice where imaging drives both diagnosis and treatment. The explosion in technologies surrounding ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging have dramatically increased the complexity of the specialty, with implications including increased numbers of radiologists and greater expenditures on imaging. This growth has resulted in unequal development across the globe, dictated by availability of structured educational training programs and financial resources to install and operate complex imaging systems.

This issue reviews musculoskeletal radiology training around the globe and offers a glimpse into the future of musculoskeletal imaging and image-guided interventions. Contributing authors examine hot topics including artificial intelligence, machine learning, diversity, and new technologies that can help improve service and efficiency. We contrast the state and future of the science in Europe, the United States, Canada, and the Middle East. We also explore the leadership roles that musculoskeletal subspecialists may play in the evolution of radiology as a whole.