Medicine and Technology: A Partnership Shaping the Future

Abstract

Medicine and technology have gone hand in hand for centuries, but it was in the last 150 years that this relationship grew to impressive proportions, driven by advances in biology, physiology, electricity, and radioactivity. These developments enabled innovative diagnostic and treatment tools such as X-rays and nuclear medicine. The 20th century was marked by major progress in diagnostic and data acquisition technologies, with digital innovation enabling tools like computed axial tomography (CAT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). More recently, the advent of high-performance digital devices and machine learning — particularly deep learning algorithms inspired by brain physiology — has allowed machines to analyze vast, complex datasets once interpreted only by physicians. This ongoing transformation highlights the need for close collaboration between doctors and engineers. In response, the Lisbon Society of Medical Sciences has created a Biomedical Engineering group to promote initiatives that strengthen this vital partnership in favor of science and patients.