Indian Radiology and Imaging Association's (IRIA) AP Chapter is to host the 57th Annual Congress at Hyderabad from January 8 to11, 2004.

The theme of the conference 'State-of-the-art Imaging 2004' signifies the technological advancements that are made in the specialty of radiology and imaging discipline. The annual event is likely to attract about 3000 delegates from India and abroad.

About 30 eminent radiologists from abroad have consented to be in the faculty. Key radiologists among them are Dr William Bradley, chairman of Radiology, UCSD Health Care; Dr Donald Resnik, chief of Musculo Skeletal Imaging, University of California, San Diego, USA; Dr John Haaga, chairman of Radiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Dr Radford Sage, chief of Medical Imaging Flinders Medical Centre, South Australia; Dr Mike Bourne, director of Radiology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.

Fifteen Indian radiologists occupying eminent position in USA, UK and Canada are delivering guest lectures in their respective sub-specialties. Eighty of leading radiologists from India would participate in important scientific sessions. More than 260 papers would be presented during the four-day conference.

About 75 multinational and national companies will showcase their products during the conference.

General body of IRIA will be formulating the guidelines of Prenatal Diagnosis & Testing Act and how unqualified and untrained people should perform the ultrasound practice to avoid the abuse and misuse of this non-invasive diagnostic modality.

It is estimated that there are about 5000 radiologists in India of who 400 are from AP said Dr Kakarla Subba Rao, chairman of IRIA AP Chapter.

Caretaker CM of AP, Chandra Babu Naidu will inaugurate the conference.