Jean-Athanase Sicard

Jean-Athanase Sicard (June 23, 1872 - January 28, 1929) was a French neurologist and radiologist who was born in Marseille. He studied medicine in Marseille and Paris, and during his career he was associated with Hôpital Necker. As a student, he studied neurology under Edouard Brissaud (1852-1909) and serodiagnostics in regards to immunology with Georges-Fernand Widal (1862-1929).

With Jacques Forestier (1890-1978), he introduced lipiodol (radio-opaque iodized oil) for use in radiological investigations. Lipiodol was injected into a patients' cerebrospinal fluid for myelographic diagnosis and localization of intraspinal cysts and tumors. Sicard is also credited for introducing injections of sodium salicylate for treatment of varicose veins.

Sicard was a pioneer involving his research of pneumoencephalography. He also did extensive work with diseases such as encephalitis lethargica, syphilis and trigeminal neuralgia.

Written Works

 * Le liquide céphalo-rachidien. Paris, 1902.
 * La névralgie faciale essentielle et son traitement par les injections locales neurologiques. Paris, 1911.
 * Méthode radiographique d’exploration de la cavité épidurale par la lipiodol; Written with Jacques Forestier (1890-1978). Revue neurologique, Paris, 1921, 28: 1264-1266. Lipide (iodised oil) first used in radiology. Positive contrast myelography with iodised oil (lipiodol).
 * Traitement des varices par les injections phlébo-sclérosantes du salicylate de soude. Written with J. Paraf and J. Lermoyez. Gazette des hôpitaux, Paris, 1922, 95: 1573-1575.
 * L’exploration radiologique des cavités broncho-pulmonaires par les injections intra-trachéales d’huile iodée. With Jacques Forestier. J méd Franç, 1924, 13: 3-9.
 * Le traitement des varices par la méthode sclérosante. With L. Gaugier. Paris, 1927; 3rd edition, 1931.

Reference

 * Pioneers of Neurology
 * Who Named It?, Jean-Athanase Sicard