Dr Sikander Shaikh answered destiny's call to become one of India's most renowned radiologists

Hyderabad: A topper in his college, he wanted to pursue paediatrics but destiny had other plans for Dr. Sikandar Mohammed Shaikh, who is now one of the most renowned radiologists in India. Dr. Sikandar Mohammed Shaikh, consultant PET-CT and radiology in Hyderabad, is the only member of the European Society of Radiology.

The science of imaging has got a boost with Artificial Intelligence as it is the most promising area in health innovation and medical imaging.

Imaging now plays a major role in the treatment of every organ of the body. In molecular biology, too, imaging is emerging as an important aspect to design treatment modalities for cancers.

Radiology plays an important role in the diagnosis of cancers and their treatment. It helps in staging, restaging, and monitoring the response of radiotherapy in the treatment of cancers.

Destiny calls

A topper from Dr. BR Ambedkar Marthwada University in Maharashtra, Dr. Shaikh wanted to pursue paediatrics but could not. He opted for radiology as toppers of All India Institute of Medical Sciences were also taking it up. To get a seat, he had to complete his diploma in medical radio diagnosis.

"In Apollo Medical College, Chennai there was an extra seat created for me to complete my radiology course. I was there for five years and learned the details of radiology. When I moved to Hyderabad, it was the first city in India that had advanced imaging machines. From here, it was a turning point as I concentrated on academics and research papers from my clinical practice," recalls Dr. Shaikh.

Research studies and books

From 2003 to 2022, imaging has advanced and it is one of the methods for easy detection of tumors in the chest, head, and neck region and also a marker for trauma and injury. Dr. Shaikh says, "When I got into study and research, the learning curve was very high. This gave me an opportunity to present papers at radiology forums across the world. There was an exchange of information and we learned from each other. This has been the highlight of my profession," he says.

Dr. Shaikh is a member of the European Society of Radiology and has been honoured for his contribution to mentoring young radiologists. His teaching program has been recognised by the World Book of Records in 2021.

He has written two books on radiology and the third will soon be published.

Professor at IIT-H and NIPR in Hyderabad

Apart from his clinical practice, Dr. Shaikh is also an adjunct professor at IIT-H and NIPR where he teaches bio-medical engineering, electronics, and machines. With machines becoming a major part of diagnosis and treatment, it is important that bio-medical engineers have knowledge of how they work. His quest for knowledge and his ability to present it has now given him an opportunity to give back to society.

With honours and awards from national and international societies, Dr. Shaikh finds that the pursuit of knowledge has no limits and it only propels us towards excellence.