October 2016
Helen M.L. Carty was born in 1944 in Dungarvan, Ireland. She obtained a Bachelor's degree in Medicine and Surgery Obstetrics from University College Dublin in 1967. Her clinical studies were in the Mater Hospital. She received the Gold Medal in Surgery and Obstetrics and the Silver Medal in Medicine in her final medical examinations. She initially studied internal medicine, obtaining her membership of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland and was subsequently elected a Fellow. Having obtained membership, she began training in radiology and completed her residency in radiology at Saint Thomas Hospital in London.
In 1974 she obtained fellowship of the Royal College of Radiologists and soon became Consultant Radiologist at the Royal Liverpool Children‘s NHS Trust, Alder Hey, becoming Director of Radiological Services there in 1977, a post she held for 27 years. She was appointed as a lecturer in radiology and orthopaedic radiology at Liverpool University, shortly after her appointment as a consultant. In 1996 she became Professor of Paediatric Radiology at Liverpool University and Alder Hey, a position she held until her retirement from clinical practice in 2004.
She had broad interests within paediatric radiology and introduced interventional procedures to the children's hospital. She helped to pioneer a radiological alternative to open surgery for children suffering from aneurysmal bone cysts, a rare but painful condition which results in localised swelling. The technique uses a sclerosing injection, which is effective, aesthetically more acceptable, and has shortened hospital stays.
During her career, she has worked with numerous health organisations in the UK. She was Adviser in Radiology to the Chief Medical Officer of Health between 1995 and 1998, Deputy Chairman of the Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee (ARSAC), and President of the Liverpool Medical Institution in 1993-94. She served on many committees of the Royal College of Radiologists, including being a member of Council and examiner, and served a four year term as Warden of the College. She has also served as External Examiner and Supervisor of M.D. and Ph.D. theses in Dublin, Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore.
She has been invited as a visiting professor or lecturer on many occasions in Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, South Africa and the USA. She has a special interest in non-accidental injuries and has lectured extensively on this theme.
Fully committed to sharing her knowledge with her peers, Prof. Carty has also greatly contributed to the development of European radiology. She was President of the European Congress of Radiology in 2004 and was Chairman in 2005. She spoke at every conference since ECR changed its format in 1991, until her retirement.
She has published 155 articles in peer-reviewed journals, 12 invited articles and 16 book chapters. She has been editor-in-chief and author of chapters in 6 books, including Imaging Children, a 2 volume textbook on paediatric imaging. She has regularly reviewed for medical journals, including European Radiology, the British Journal of Radiology, Pediatric Radiology, Skeletal Radiology, Clinical Radiology, andArchives of Diseases in Childhood.
Her achievements and leadership qualities have been duly recognised by her peers, and she has obtained Honorary Membership of the European Society of Paediatric Radiology, the Radiological Society of Hungary, the Polish Radiological Society and the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). She has also received the President‘s award from the Association of American Women Radiologists in 2004. Finally, she was elected Honorary Member of Council of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in recognition of services to Child Abuse. She has also been awarded honorary fellowships of The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Faculty of Radiologists of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and a Fellow ad eundem of the Royal College of Physicians of London. She was made a Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside in 2005, a civic honour.
She has been married to Austin, also a doctor, since 1967 and has three children and six grandchildren. Since her retirement, Prof. Carty has remained extremely active, spending time with her family and enjoying many hobbies.
In recognition of her exceptional contributions and pioneering work in paediatric and orthopaedic radiology, as well as her long commitment to European radiology, Professor Helen M. L. Carty will receive the Gold Medal of the European Society of Radiology at ECR 2009.
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