RSNA 2026 Country Presents Highlight Radiology in China and Nigeria

Highlighting perspectives on the evolution of radiology across the globe

BY LYNN ANTONOPOULOS November 09, 2026

Chen

Salaam

China's radiology community is helping drive advances in imaging technology and AI at an unprecedented scale. In Nigeria, radiologists are working to expand access to essential imaging services despite persistent workforce, infrastructure and funding challenges.

Though their healthcare environments are different, representatives from both countries say radiologists are united by a common goal: improving patient care while preparing for the future of the specialty. At RSNA 2026, delegates from China and Nigeria will share how those efforts are transforming radiology in their respective countries.

Innovation and Scale Drive Chinese Radiology

As China's population ages and the burden of chronic disease rises, demand for imaging continues to grow rapidly across the country.

"Imaging is central to almost every stage of care, so the volume of CT, MR, ultrasound and other imaging examinations continues to grow quickly," said Min Chen, MD, president of the Chinese Radiological Society and a professor of radiology at Beijing Hospital. “At the same time, the supply of radiologists and imaging resources has not grown at the same pace."

Hospitals throughout the country continue to face high workloads, workforce shortages and burnout among imaging professionals.

According to Prof. Chen, another challenge is ensuring consistent access to high-quality imaging across a country with enormous geographic and population diversity.

"Large cities and top tertiary hospitals often have advanced equipment, subspecialized radiologists, mature quality control and strong research capacity," he said. "In contrast, remote and rural areas may lack modern scanners, trained staff, maintenance support and standardized protocols."

Panoramic view of the Great Wall of China winding across lush green mountains beneath a partly cloudy sky.

Despite those challenges, Prof. Chen believes China's radiology system has several distinctive strengths.

"One of the greatest strengths of China's radiology system is affordable imaging service with high accessibility," he said.

Imaging services are widely available through public hospitals, county-level hospitals, community health centers and specialized imaging centers. "The system is also highly efficient," Prof. Chen added, noting that outpatient waiting times for CT and MR scans are often less than one week.

Prof. Chen hopes RSNA attendees will gain a better understanding of how quickly radiology in China is evolving and the increasingly important role the country is playing in imaging innovation.

"I would like RSNA attendees will see how Chinese hospitals, engineers, industry and regulators work together to translate new hardware into clinical practice,” he said. "China is no longer only a large user of imported imaging equipment; it is increasingly involved in co-development and original innovation."

He points to advances including 5.0T MR imaging, dual-source wide-detector CT, photon-counting CT and AI-integrated digital radiography systems as examples of that progress. Just as important, he said, is the collaboration among hospitals, engineers, industry and regulators that helps bring those technologies into clinical practice.

AI has become another major area of focus.

"Chinese radiology is actively involved in the development and clinical application of cutting-edge AI techniques in medical imaging," Prof. Chen said, citing research aimed at identifying pancreatic cancer on routine chest CT examinations and improving diagnosis of liver lesions.

He believes these and other radiologist-led initiatives demonstrate China's growing role in developing clinically relevant AI tools that can support earlier diagnosis and improve patient care.

A group of people in brightly colored patterned clothing dance outdoors as a crowd watches in the background

Building Opportunity Through Growth and Determination

For Prof. Abdul J. Salaam, MBBS, an interventional radiologist and faculty member at the University of Jos in Nigeria, the country’s radiology capabilities have expanded significantly despite substantial obstacles.

"Nigeria is a third world country that is doing its best in the practice of radiology within the limited resources available," said Prof. Salaam who also serves as the first vice president of the Association of Radiologists in Nigeria.

Yet he notes that the country's radiology capabilities are expanding. "There is a tremendous growth in the practice of radiology in Nigeria," he said. "We now have CT and MRI capabilities in most states, as compared to the past when patients were required to travel hundreds of kilometers to access such services."

According to Prof. Salaam, increased public-sector investment, equipment acquisitions during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and private-sector growth have helped drive those improvements.

Growth is also evident in Nigeria’s radiology workforce, with resident programs across the country helping train future radiologists. "There is increased awareness of specialization in the field of radiology," Prof. Salaam said.

He noted that more centers are getting accreditation for radiologist training, although workforce shortages remain a significant concern. Equipment costs and maintenance present additional obstacles.

"More equipment is coming, but more is needed, and there is a big problem in the cost of acquiring this equipment," Prof. Salaam said. "Maintenance is a significant challenge here."

He also cited unreliable electricity infrastructure, radiation-safety challenges and gaps in health policy as barriers to continued growth. Even so, Nigerian radiologists continue working to address those issues through advocacy and education.

"The problems highlighted are being addressed through advocacy by the different training colleges and the association of radiologists in Nigeria," Prof. Salaam said. "We are interfacing with our government on the need to address the challenges facing the practice of radiology in Nigeria."

Looking ahead, he sees considerable promise in interventional radiology and believes expanding training opportunities will be critical to sustaining future growth.

"There is a great increase in the desire and practice of interventional radiology in Nigeria," Prof. Salaam said. “To support continued progress, we are advocating for additional training centers, subspecialty education, stronger funding mechanisms and expanded opportunities for radiologists to gain experience abroad before returning home to teach the next generation.”