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Felix Fleischner

Felix G. Fleischner (1893 - 1969)

Felix George Fleischner (1893 – 1969) was an Austrian-American radiologist.

He published 251 papers, focusing on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of lung disease through the use of the chest X-ray, such as pulmonary embolism, pulmonary effusion and atelectasis.

Fleischner published extensively on the chest X-ray changes relating to pulmonary embolus and pulmonary infarction, and collated related findings to create a structured approach to diagnosis.

He is eponymously affiliated with the Fleischner sign (1959), one of several described CXR signs of pulmonary embolus; and Fleischner lines (1936) of atelectasis and healed infarction.


Biography
  • Born 29 July 1893 in Vienna, Austria
  • 1919 – Graduated, University of Vienna Medical School
  • 1920 – Radiologist at Wilhelminen Hospital
  • 1930 – Professor and head of radiology of the Second Medical Clinic of the University of Vienna
  • 1932 – Chief of Radiology at Vienna Children’s Hospital
  • 1938 – Worked in the Massachusetts General Hospital radiology department following his move to Boston, USA, after Austria was annexed by Germany
  • 1942-60 – Worked at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital, later becoming Head of Radiology Department in 1945
  • 1950 – Professor of radiology at Harvard University
  • 1960 – Professor Emeritus at Harvard University
  • 1969 – Was due to join a group of 8 radiologists in the forming a new society to study chest disease through the medium of chest roentgenology. Unfortunately died suddenly whilst swimming in August 1969. Society posthumously named the Fleischner Society in his honour at the first meeting in November 1969
  • Died 17 August 1969 in Boston, Massachusetts

Medical Eponyms
Fleischner sign (1959)

Prominent dilated central pulmonary artery. Enlargement can be associated with massive embolus enlarging the luminal diameter of the proximal artery in the acute setting; or pulmonary hypertension in the subacute to chronic setting.

Other Eponyms
  • Fleischner lines (1936): chest X-ray findings of horizontal dense lines of atelectasis and healed infarction often located ~1-3cm above the diaphragm dome in the lower lung fields, and vary from barely visible lines to shadows of about 5mm in thickness.
  • The Fleischner Society (inaugurated in 1969): an international, multidisciplinary medical society for thoracic radiology, dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the chest.

Major Publications

References

eponymictionary

the names behind the name

Doctor in Australia. Keen interest in internal medicine, medical education, and medical history.

BA MA (Oxon) MBChB (Edin) FACEM FFSEM. Emergency physician, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.  Passion for rugby; medical history; medical education; and asynchronous learning #FOAMed evangelist. Co-founder and CTO of Life in the Fast lane | Eponyms | Books | Twitter |

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