Felix Fleischner

Felix Fleischner was a renowned chest radiologist who had two distinguished careers, first in Vienna, before the Second World War, and secondly in Boston, Massachusetts, after fleeing Europe in 1938. The Fleischner Society was named in dedication to him.

Early life

Felix George Fleischner was born on July 29^th 1893 in Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He qualified in medicine from the University of Vienna in 1919 ⁴. Following specialisation in radiology he became Chief of Roentgenology at the Vienna CS Child's Hospital. In 1930 he was made professor of radiology and chief of radiology at the Second Medical Clinic of Vienna University.

Fleischner eponyms

Fleischner is now primarily remembered for his chest radiograph eponyms, although these are less well known to the contemporary radiologist due to the predominance of thoracic CT for evaluating chest disease.

The Fleischner sign describes the unilateral enlargement of the pulmonary artery due to PE, first described in an article he published in 1959. Fleischner lines describe a typical appearance for disc atelectasis on chest radiographs.

Later life

In 1942 he became the first substantive radiologist and director of the department at the Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, MA. He was appointed a Clinical Professor in Radiology at Harvard University in 1950, retiring as Professor Emeritus in 1960.

Fleischner died from a myocardial infarction whilst swimming on August 17^th 1969 in Boston, Massachusetts. Following his premature death, a nascent chest radiology society was named after him in his honour.

Accolades

• International Symposia were held in his honour in view of his major contributions to these areas of chest radiology

  • "Pulmonary Embolism" in 1964

  • "The Frontiers of Chest Radiology" in 1967

• Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of Radiologists, UK 1968 ⁴

Legacy

• Fleischner sign
• Fleischner lines
• Fleischner Society: prestigious chest radiology society