HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF RADIODIAGOSTICS
Before World War II no clinic of radiology existed in the region of Czechoslovakia, radiology was not accepted as an independent discipline. University clinics and major hospitals had their x-ray „cabinets“.
1st clinic of radiology ever was established in year 1941 during period of Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia. The clinic was led by professor Beutel, his deputy and "Oberarzt" was Dr. Buchtala who became professor later. The clinic was then located in the vicinity of German surgical clinic, in the same place where current central department of the Clinic of Radiology is.
Originally radiology was not divided into diagnostic and oncologic (radiotherapeutic) part and the clinic was equipped for both tasks including wards, which were considerably limited due to the preference of treatment of war injuries in the General hospital.
After the end of World War II professor Šváb became the head of the clinic. The status of the clinic was remained, however the clinic became Czech instead of German as well as the clinic of surgery.
Professor Šváb worked as the head of the clinic until year 1970 (full 25 years!), when his place was taken by professor Blažek, who in that time held his place as a head physician in the department of radiology in the 1st Clinic of Internal Medicine. From year 1988 professor Vyhnánek was the head of the clinic until his retirement in year 1997 when he was replaced by his disciple professor Daneš.
After the war many famous specialists were working in the diagnostic part of the clinic who then left mainly to lead a number of arising new clinics and departments of radiology. These specialists were for example Dr. Fried, Dr. Chlebníček, Dr. Hladík, Dr. Marx and Dr. Stašek. Doctor Stašek later focused his attention on radiotherapy and became the 1st head of the Clinic of Oncology which was separated from the common Clinic of Radiology led by professor Blažek in year 1973. (this newly arisen Clinic of Oncology also became the 1st clinic of oncology in Czechoslovakia; until that time only „radiology institutes“ existed such as in the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute in Brno, in Bulovka hospital etc.).
During the following period of time the Clinic of Radiology educated many specialists, professors and future heads of other clinics, especially in fields of skeletal radiology and diagnostics (prof. Kolář, prof. Zídková).