Editorial

It is an honor and a privilege for me to address you all for the first time from this editorial space. My name is Sara Lojo, and I take on the direction of the virtual journal of the Inter-American College of Radiology (CIR) with a profound sense of responsibility, but also with the enthusiasm inspired by the beginning of a project designed to reflect a vibrant and ever-evolving community. This publication is not born merely as a repository of high-level scientific knowledge; it emerges with the ambition of being a dynamic, modern, and above all accessible bridge, capable of shortening the geographic distances of our continent through academic excellence and digital collaboration.

Before delving into the vision that will guide this new stage, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the CIR Board of Directors. Their trust in entrusting me with the direction of this project is an invaluable encouragement, and their forward-looking vision in embracing virtual platforms demonstrates a strong commitment to the modernization of our specialty. This path would also not be possible without the extraordinary group of professionals who have agreed to be part of the new editorial committee. To each of them, thank you for your generosity and for contributing your prestige and time to this common cause. Your participation is the guarantee that every article and every reflection we share will maintain the standard of quality our members deserve.

This journal aspires to be a living entity, and for that, proximity to our members is essential. My intention as editor-in-chief is for this not to be a one-way communication channel. We want to hear from you. I formally invite you to use this space to share your initiatives, clinical questions, and research projects. Our richness lies in our diversity and in our ability to respond to very different local realities; therefore, any contribution that helps our community grow will always be welcome and valued. We want you to feel this journal is yours, an open forum where the exchange of ideas is the main driving force.

If we look at the current landscape of radiology, we find ourselves at a fascinating crossroads. We are witnessing an unprecedented technological transformation, where artificial intelligence is no longer a promise of the future but a daily reality in our workstations. However, its integration compels us to deeply reflect on the essence of our profession. AI must be welcomed as a strategic ally, a powerful tool that allows us to delegate those bureaucratic, mechanical, and automatic tasks that for years have consumed much of our time and energy. By automating processes such as segmentation, detection of routine findings, or administrative workflow management, technology does not replace us; on the contrary, it frees us.

That freed-up time must have a single and clear destination: the patient. In a medical environment that tends toward fragmentation and where technology sometimes seems to come between the physician and the person, our commitment must be to recover humanism. The 21st-century radiologist cannot settle for being a data analyst isolated in a dark room; we must reclaim our role as essential clinical consultants who bring real value to the patient experience, offering clarity, security, and empathy in diagnosis.

This human approach must be accompanied by ethical awareness regarding the resources we use. Cutting-edge radiology entails high energy consumption and an environmental impact that we can no longer ignore. As physicians committed to global health, we have the responsibility to make reasonable and efficient use of resources, promoting sustainable practices that ensure technical progress does not come at the expense of the environment. Sustainability is, ultimately, a form of care for the society we serve.

We begin this journey with our eyes on the horizon but our feet firmly grounded in our core values. I reiterate my absolute willingness to work for our community and encourage you to dive into the pages of this journal with a critical and participatory spirit. Together, we will ensure that CIR continues to be the benchmark of unity and innovation that our region needs.