Professor Auguste Wackenheim was born 30 years after the discovery of X-rays and became a pioneer in the field ([Fig. 1]). Born on July 17, 1925, in Hagenau, Alsace, Wackenheim embarked on his medical journey at the University of Strasbourg to become a pioneer in spine imaging and neuroradiology. He combined a strong personality with the power of remarkable professional knowledge that had a profound impact on several fundamental discoveries in clinical radiology. Wackenheim published > 570 scientific articles and 46 books, some of which have been translated into multiple languages.

His decision to dedicate himself to radiology was influenced by his stay with Hermann Fischgold in Paris, where he decided to focus on craniovertebral and cerebromedullary diagnostics. After he returned to Strasbourg, he became a professor in 1966. Ten years later, he assumed leadership of the Department of Neuroradiology, and in 1979, he succeeded his renowned mentor, Charles Gros, as the head of the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at the University of Strasbourg.[1] In September 1976, Strasbourg obtained the first serial computed tomography (CT) scanner in France, marking a pivotal moment in medical imaging. Wackenheim was one of the earliest proponents of CT on the continent and soon recognized the potential of computed technology in radiology.

Wackenheim's legacy is particularly associated with two areas of diagnostic radiology: neuroradiologic semiology, elucidated in numerous textbooks, and studies on the cervical spine, notably cheirolumbar dysostosis, a medical entity described in the American Birth Defects Encyclopedia.[2] [3] His name is associated with the baseline measurement for dens positional abnormalities, the “Wackenheim line,” a landmark that helps diagnose basilar invagination ([Fig. 2]). He also established a research sector in artificial intelligence (AI), confirming his innovative approach to radiology. In 1988, Wackenheim organized the first meeting in Strasbourg dedicated to AI in medical imaging, although the role of AI has only flourished during the last few decades.