A Pioneer in Radiology

This post is a review of the book The Woman Who Ran AIIMS. AIIMS is the All India Institute of Medical Sciences located in Delhi. It is the top hospital and medical research university in India, analogous to Cedars-Sinai or the Mayo Clinic in the United States.

The book is a relatively short (245 pages) autobiography of Dr. Sneh Bhargava (SB), the first - and so far only - woman director of AIIMS, and a radiology pioneer in India and worldwide. Rather than following the largely chronological tack of the book, I will present the elements that caught my attention:

1. Political Drama: The book contains some rather dramatic incidents involving political leaders (they usually come, or are brought, to AIIMS so they can receive the best treatment). On the first day SB took over as director of AIIMS, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was brought in with 30 bullets inside her, assassinated by her bodyguards. SB also found a nodule in the lung of President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, diagnosing him with lung cancer (he was a smoker). Earlier, she also did an X ray on Prime MInister Nehru.

   
   

2. The History of Radiology: The book touches on the history of development of radiology, starting with Roentgen's discovery of X-rays, then the invention of the CT scan (SB was at the talk in New York where Hounsfield announced his invention of the CT scanner, which eventually won him a Nobel; SB returned home and installed the first CT scan machine in India), ultrasound (which first allowed the visualization of foetuses), MRI and the PET scan. SB's book touches on her multiple training and research contacts with the West, including both Europe and America.

   
   

3. Diagnosis Magic: I learnt from the book that a radiologist can make a rather precise diagnosis from the imaging results if the medical history of the patient has been provided (a simple example is knowing the patient is a smoker before looking at the lung X ray).

   
   

   In fact the diagnosis can vary depending on the patient's medical history. SB studied with some of the pioneers of radiology (e.g. Peter Kerley, after whom the Kerley B lines indicative of congestive heart failure in a radiograph are named) and in her own career became rather famous for her almost magical ability to quickly read images and supply diagnoses.

   
   

4. Incredible longevity: The book is inspirational, because it displays the precociousness (she used to play doctor with her dolls, then her younger sister), determination and intelligence of the writer.

   
   

   Also remarkable is her longevity: she worked at AIIMS until she was 60, then retired (as per government regulations) and worked at private hospitals until she was 90 (she was forced to stay home during Covid as per regulations for aged people); she finished writing her book when she was 95. What a full life.

   
   

5. A peep into the doctors trade: There are many insights into the training and professional duties of doctors: the dissection of cadavers, engineering aspects (like training on CAT scanners and MRI machines), mental health concerns (the books claims that doctors are apparently big time hypochondriacs), etc.

   
   

   Summary

   
   

   Written forthrightly, the book does not hold back on sensitive topics (discrimination against women, racism, political cronyism), gives credit to others (teachers, mentors, colleagues, donors and staff), and provides insights (a reminder that leadership is a crown of thorns; 'do good and forget'). An appendix contains statements by some people who know her (colleagues and students) and reinforce her accomplishments.

   
   

   A short but inspiring read.