The Department of Radiology and Radiology was founded in 1962 on the basis of the X-ray department of the Varna District Hospital, and since 1987 at the St. Marina Hospital.
The heads of the Department of Radiology and Radiology are Prof. Dr. Dyanko Popmihaylov (1962-1976), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alexi Maystorski (1976-1992), Prof. Dr. Luka Pranchev (1992-1999), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stefan Kovachev, (1999-2004), Prof. Dr. Boyan Balev, (2004-2020), Prof. Dr. Anelia Klisarova (2020-2023), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chavdar Bachvarov (from 2023).
Prof. Dr. A. Klisarova is Deputy. Rector for Scientific and International Activities at the Medical University of Varna for the period from 2000 to 2004. From 2004 to 2012, Prof. Klisarova was the Rector of the Medical University of Varna. Prof. Klisarova is the coordinator of the project for the establishment of the Bulgarian-Swiss School for X-ray Laboratory Technicians at the Medical College of Varna. Prof. Luka Pranchev was the Deputy Rector of the Medical University of Varna in the period 1996-1999.
The department teaches the disciplines "Radiology, Radiology" in Bulgarian and English for students of medicine and dentistry; "Fundamentals of imaging diagnostics. Radiographic methods", "Image anatomy", "Image processing", "Clinical imaging diagnostics", "Clinical ultrasound diagnostics", "Clinical invasive methods in imaging diagnostics", "Clinical computer processing of medical images", for the specialty of X-ray laboratory assistant, "Image diagnostics in nursing practice" for the specialty of nurse, "Image diagnostics" for the specialties of midwife, rehabilitator and physiotherapist.
In a short period of time, the Department of Radiology and Radiology has become a highly qualified scientific, teaching, diagnostic and treatment unit, which provides assistance and trains specialists from Northeastern Bulgaria.
The clinical base of the Department of Imaging Diagnostics has the most modern and high-tech equipment - two digital radiography machines, 1 fluoroscopy machine, 2 ultrasound diagnostic machines with the possibility of triplex echographic examination, 2 dual source computed tomography diagnostic machines, two magnetic resonance tomography machines (GE 1.5T and Siemens Verio 3T), a bone density measuring machine (DEXA) and two angiographs. There are also seven portable Kugel-type X-ray machines available (4 old and three new).
Since the fall of 2008, a digitalization system - PACS has been operational. It is one of the first in the country and represents a unique system for archiving and transferring images from all modalities. This system intensifies and optimizes the direct practical work of the radiologist, the access of clinicians to the images, the archiving of information and the training process.
Both Bulgarian and foreign specialists in imaging diagnostics, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine are trained, and their number over the years has been over 400.
In 2000 cooperation with colleagues from the Cantonal Hospital in Aarau in Switzerland began. In 2000, the Radioisotope Diagnostics Section hosted the European Course in Nuclear Medicine, organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency. In 2005, the Nuclear Medicine Department hosted the European School of Nuclear Medicine (ESNM). From May 6 to 8, 2016. was again hosted with Bulgarian and international participation, with lecturers from ESNM.
The Department of Radiology and Radiology organized six of the BAR congresses – III Congress, VIII Congress in 1995 with chairman Prof. Dr. L. Pranchev, XI Congress in 2003 with chairman Assoc. Prof. Dr. B. Balev, XIV Congress with chairman Prof. Klisarova, XVIII Congress in 2019 with chairman Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chavdar Bachvarov, and the upcoming XX Congress in 2024 with chairman Assoc. Prof. Dr. Radoslav Georgiev.
