Our coryphaeuses
Sokolov Yuri Nikolaevich
Y.N.Sokolov started his educational work being a teaching assistant in the Central Moscow Medical Extension Course Institute for Medical Practitioners, department of roentgenology. In 1941 he was called up for military service. He was a head of hospitals’ radiology departments in the Bryansk and Voronezh fronts. In 1943 he was appointed as the 1st Ukrainian front Chief Roentgenologist. Being in the Army he continued his scientific work and published articles, delivered scientific reports and participated in collection of scientific papers of army roentgenologists. He arranged training courses for army roentgenologists. Y.N. Sokolov was the head of the editorial board of the Voronezh front scientific papers collection. Upon demobilization Y.N. Sokolov returned to MNIRRI (Moscow Scientific-Research Roentgenoradiological Institute). There he worked as a Senior Scientific Researcher and later as the Institute Deputy Director for Science. In that period Yuri Nikolaevich carried out researches in the area of gastroenterology diseases X-ray diagnostics. That time he and his coauthor A.I. Ruderman published the monography «X-ray diagnostics of gastro-intestinal cancer». Roentgenopulmonology became the second field of professor Sokolov scientific work. A lot of articles were concerned with researches of chronic emphysema and pulmonary insufficiency. In the course of the research activities the phenomenon of pulmonary tissue transparency at respiration was revealed and proved. «Sokolov’s test» is still of current interest. In 1951 he defended a Doctoral dissertation on that subject. In 1952 professor Sokolov was elected as the Head of the roentgenology department of the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow state medical institute, and in 1953 he became the Head of the roentgenology department No2 of the Central Extension Course Institute for Medical Practitioners. This department was located at the premises of the City clinical hospital No 50. The Head of the roentgenology department No2 of the Central Extension Course Institute for Medical Practitioners was professor S.A. Reinberg. After his death in 1966 the departments No1 and No2 were combined and Yuri Nikolaevich took the lead of the new department. Professor Sokolov was the Head of the joined roentgenology department for 11 years, till 1977. According to his personal request in 1977 he changed his position for a consultant and held it till his death in 1984. During the years of professor Sokolov leadership the roentgenology department No2 of the Central Extension Course Institute for Medical Practitioners undoubtedly was the leader in the field of roentgenology. At that particular time Y.N.Sokolov actively worked in the area of X-ray diagnostic of digestive and pulmonary diseases. Under his supervision a number of dissertations were written: N.U. Shniger — X-ray diagnostic of peptic ulcer, P.V. Vlasov — X-ray diagnostic of increased gastric mucosa, R.S. Rubinov— X-ray diagnostic of large bowel. Such famous specialists as L.S. Rozenshtraukh (future head of the department), V.Y. Fridkin, M.G.Viner, L.A.Gurevich, S.S.Shatemor, V.B.Antonovich worked in the department. Sokolov Yuri Nikolaevich, the author of more than 150 published scientific works, left a significant mark in roentgenology. Terminolofy in roentgenology and radiology, methods of pulmonary emphysema unbiased recording, lungs X-ray fluorography issues, respiration research methods, bronchopneumonia diagnostics— all these issues were thoroughly studied in the department. Undoubtedly the scientific researches in the area of gastrointestinal diseases were of the highest priority. «X-ray diagnostics of gastro-intestinal cancer» monography, 1947 (co-authored by A.I. Ruderman), «Gastric mucosa relief in health and disease» monography, 1968 (in collaboration with P.V. Vlasov), «X-ray diagnostic of digestive track newgrowths» guideline (in collaboration with V.B. Antonovich) are important to note among other professor Sokolov’s monographic works. Even nowadays all these works haven’t lost their practical and scientific significance. 7 Doctors and 40 Candidates dissertations were made and defended under professor Sokolov’s supervision. Besides the research activities Y.N. Sokolov was an active participant of the public life, manager of the physicians’ training and education. In the second half of the 50’s and in the 60’s the interdepartmental clinicoradiologic conferences were popular in the radiologic Moscow. They were organized by S.A. Reinberg, but professor Y.N. Sokolov and his department co-workers had the most active involvement in them. Not only rare and complicated X-ray diagnostic cases were reviewed at these conferences, but also the young specialists training on the base of the typical clinical settings was executed. Earnest discussions frequently arose among the leading radiologists. Herewith the analyses were focused on clinical, methodic aspects and in a less degree on the science ones. This was a real school of clinicoradiologic thought for radiologists which still prevails among the radiation physicians at the present time. These conferences common for all departments are resumed now in some other way upon an initiative of the RASM corresponding member, professor A. Y. Vasiliev viz. the lecturing for all resident medical practitioners of the first year. Y.N. Sokolov worked in the staff of the journal «Vestnik rentgenologii i radiologii» for 33 years, 27 years of which he was the editor-in-chief. He was member of management board of the All-Union, All-Russian and Moscow Society of Roentgenologists and Radiologists. Yuri Nikolaevich was the chief roentgenologists of the USSR Ministry of Health and the Fourth Directorate of the USSR Ministry of Health in different years. Y.N. Sokolov was a remarkable teacher and splendid speaker. His lectures were characterized by distinct methodic skills, elegance, exquisite wording. Yuri Nikolaevich was the typical representative of old Moscow intelligentsia. He spoke good Russian. His behavior, appearance attracted the attention. Y.N. Sokolov caught the start of big changes in new radiology era. He was greatly impressed by the application of computerized tomography for the cerebral examination. S.S. Shatemor (the student of the professor Sokolov) confirmed that Yuri Nikolaevich was amazed by the differentiation possibility of grey and white matters. «That’s fantastic!» exclaimed Y.N. Sokolov. Formation and evolution of the multispiral computed tomography, high field magnetic resonance imaging, modern ultrasonic and positron emission diagnostics allow approaching to the diagnostics of the pathological conditions at the cellular level at the up-to-date stage of development. However the development of classic radiologic diagnosis which undoubtedly is future proof is provided by invaluable contribution of the clinician roentgenologists of last generations. Yuri Nikolaevich Sokolov belongs to the pleiad of the most prominent representatives.