Head and neck radiology in Spain: Results of the Spanish Society of Neuroradiology Survey.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Head and neck radiology (HN-Rad) is a subspeciality that is on the rise but not sufficiently consolidated in Spain. The main objective of this work is to assess the current situation of HN-Rad in Spain, focusing on organisational, educational, technical and multidisciplinary aspects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A structured 28-item questionnaire was designed and distributed through email and social networks between April and December 2023 by the Spanish Society of Neuroradiology (SENR) and the Spanish Society of Radiology (SERAM). RESULTS: A total of 149 valid responses were received. Most of them were obtained from tertiary hospitals (69 %). The age of respondents was over 40 years in more than 60 % of cases. While 79 % of centres had neuroradiology units, only 11 % had a specific head and neck section. A total of 78% used CT as the main imaging modality and 66 % performed MRI. A total of 84 % of respondents participated in multidisciplinary committees. Only 28 % offered specific head and neck radiology rotations for radiology trainees. Composite indices by thematic area were constructed to assess development across each centre. CONCLUSIONS: HN-Rad is well established in Spanish tertiary centres, with high adoption of advanced imaging and multidisciplinary collaboration. However, significant gaps remain in training, report standardisation and its consolidation as a subspeciality. The number of responses limits reliable territorial assessment, although regional heterogeneity in the subspeciality's development likely exists, supporting the need for national harmonisation strategies.