The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) is using the International Day of Radiology (IDoR) on 8 November to draw attention to the looming workforce crisis facing breast cancer screening and diagnostic services in the U.K.
It is calling on the government to invest urgently in more resources to recruit and retain breast radiologists.
Many breast radiologist posts remain vacant, breast screening units are understaffed, and large numbers of breast radiologists are due to retire by 2020, the RCR said.
Recent surveys carried out by the RCR reveal the following:
- In the National Health Service (NHS) Breast Screening Program, 25% of units operate with two or fewer breast radiologists and have no cover for sickness or absence.
- By 2020, 21% of breast radiologists are likely to retire, and the percentage is expected to increase to 38% by 2025. This will severely affect breast cancer screening and diagnosis.
- About 8% of breast radiologist posts across the U.K. are vacant. The number of unfilled posts has doubled since 2010.
Also, while breast screening is currently offered to women 50 to 70 years old, there are plans to extend the program to some women 47 to 73 years old, which would mean the number of women potentially covered in the U.K. would increase by about 28%, from 8 million to 10.2 million.
"The International Day of Radiology should be a day when radiologists all over the world celebrate our profession and the tremendous impact radiology can have in improving health outcomes for millions of patients, often saving lives through early and accurate diagnosis of scans and x-rays," said Dr. Nicola Strickland, president of the RCR. "But it's difficult to celebrate in the U.K., where we only have seven radiologists per 100,000 people, the third lowest in Europe. Urgent investment from the government and NHS leadership across the U.K. is needed now."
In other news, a new film has been commissioned to coincide with the anniversary of the first medical x-ray performed 120 years ago in Birmingham, U.K.
"X-Ray: The Unknown Quantity" is a collaboration between Birmingham City University, Birmingham Hippodrome, and Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Commissioned by Hippodrome Creative, the short film brings together award-winning contemporary dance artist and choreographer Mickael "Marso" Riviere, British Institute of Radiology (BIR) artist-in-residence Hugh Turvey, and Birmingham-based sound artist Justin Wiggan.
Together, they have created a production featuring stop animation film, contemporary dance, x-ray imagery, and a sonic soundscape collated from "hidden" body sounds and x-ray equipment.
The short film will be launched via the Birmingham Hippodrome website on 8 November to coincide with World Radiography Day and the International Day of Radiology.
![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnieeurope.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=crop&h=100&q=70&w=100)
![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnieeurope.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
