Department of Radiology initiates unique contest

Old X-rays honor legendary faculty members while providing educational opportunity

If you walk through the Department of Radiology on the first floor of the Medical Service Building, you might want to take notice of the old-fashioned X-ray viewer in the hallway.

No, the department hasn’t stopped using digital images. Rather, it is using the X-ray viewer to recognize two legendary UNMC radiologists while providing a source of fun and education for passersby.

Each month, the X-ray viewer displays a different X-ray from the archives of Charles Dobry, M.D., and Jud Gurney, M.D., two deceased faculty members in radiology. People are encouraged to look at the X-ray, then submit their best guess as to what is depicted on the film.

The unknown case will hang for two weeks, and the answers will be posted for two weeks. The answer not only will talk about the image finding, but it also will provide a “radiology pearl” in the form of an X-ray teaching point or an approach to the finding.

The contest was the idea of Matt DeVries, M.D., the C.A. Dobry Professor of Radiology.

“We thought it would be a great way to acknowledge two of our department’s historic physicians, while also having some fun with it,” Dr. DeVries said. “We encourage medical students, house officers and faculty to participate. This is meant to be for the non-radiologists at the medical center.”

Prizes, including text books written by Dr. Gurney, will be awarded to the contest winners.