The History of AOSR: Asian Oceanian Society of Radiology.

In the 1960s, there was a growing awareness of the need to develop closer ties between radiologists in the various nations of Asia and Oceania. Not only would this provide opportunities to learn from one another, but more importantly, it would contribute towards furthering harmonious regional and international relationships. To this end, in the northern hemisphere of this region consideration was given to forming a Far Eastern Society, whilst in the southern hemisphere of the region, national radiological societies in Australia, New Zealand and some South-East Asian countries had similar ideas. Since 1923 the Internat ional Society of Radiology (ISR) had provided leadership as the world authority in radiology by way of the International Congress of Radiology (ICR) held every 4 years, and by establishing important standing committees such as the International Commission on Radiological Protection. With representation from the majority of the world’s nations, ISR was a suitable forum to discuss matters of general interest for members as well as the wider community. However with the passage of the years, the influence of ISR waned as a result of the emergence of large regional societies. By the mid-1960s a zonal pattern was developing. In the Americas, the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), begun in 1928, brought together Canada and the United States and was growing from strength to strength due much to its considerable available financial resources to promote training and research. Another society, the InterAmerican Society of Radiology, embracing both North and South America, characterised by being multilingual, had been established in 1933, and continued to the present, but has not reached the level of significance of RSNA. The yearly RSNA congress thus became the main focus for manufacturers and the trade industry to exhibit their latest wares and radiologists from worldwide flocked to Chicago to see what was on offer as well as to attend the excellent academic programmes. In the European zone, there was the European Association of Radiology (EAR), a federation of national societies founded in 1962, and the European Congress of Radiology (ECR), the organising body of the eponymous congress, which was founded in 1967 and conducted congresses every four years. Over time, no doubt stimulated by the success of RSNA, European radiologists set about to improve the stature of their Society through the European Congress of Radiology. This was well under way by the 1960s and today, ECR is held every year in Vienna. Another important factor which encouraged the development of regional congresses came from the trade houses. With the exponential escalation of radiology as expected, individual countries, with increasing numbers of radiologists, established their own national annual congresses and looked to the The History of AOSR: Asian Oceanian Society of Radiology Lilian LY Leong, FRCR, FHKCR, FHKAM, William SC Hare, AO, FRANZCR, FRACP, Kenneth R Thomson, MD, FRANZCR