History

 
The First Department of Radiodiagnostics and Imaging Methods (KRaZM) originated from the former Central Department of Radiology of the Faculty Hospital in Košice. Its early development was shaped by a succession of heads of department – MUDr. D. Filo, MUDr. E. Demková and MUDr. Július Veréb, DrSc. Under the leadership of Dr. Veréb, the department evolved into one of the best equipped and most comprehensive radiology centres in Slovakia, laying the foundations for today’s wide spectrum of imaging and interventional services.
 
A long-standing ambition to transform the radiology service into a fully fledged academic clinical department was fulfilled in 1997, when the First Department of Radiodiagnostics and Imaging Methods of the Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, was officially established, with MUDr. Peter Mach, CSc. as its first head. This step firmly integrated the department into undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and opened space for structured research activity in close cooperation with other clinical disciplines.
 
Between 2020–2023, the department was led by MUDr. Mgr. René Hako, PhD., MHA, MPH, MBA
 
Since 15 May 2023, the head of the department has been MUDr. Piotr Pedowski, MPH, DrPH, interventional neuroradiologist and head of the cerebrovascular programme at L. Pasteur University Hospital. Under his leadership, KRaZM has significantly expanded its neuro-endovascular activities, including high-volume mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischaemic stroke, treatment of intracranial aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations, and complex oncologic and hepatologic interventions. The hospital is one of ten centres in Slovakia providing 24/7 mechanical thrombectomy, and its stroke team regularly receives ESO Angels Awards (platinum and diamond levels) for excellence in stroke care.
 
From 2026, the department operates two multi-slice CT scanners, a latest-generation 3T Philips MR 7700 system, two biplane and one monoplane angiography suites, providing a comprehensive imaging and interventional platform comparable to the best-equipped university hospitals and new-generation facilities in Slovakia. Together with other major centres KRaZM belongs among the leading radiology and interventional radiology departments in the country.
 
Today, the First Department of Radiodiagnostics and Imaging Methods is a modern academic workplace combining clinical excellence, education and research in diagnostic and interventional radiology, with strong links to neurology, neurosurgery, oncology, hepatology and other disciplines at the Faculty of Medicine and L. Pasteur University Hospital.