2021 meeting

Genuine engagement.. That was what SABI 2021 annual meeting in D.C. truly was. As I reflect on my final moments as President at our annual event, I was moved by the incredible turn out of those who came as presenters, audience, and vendors. A few highlights stand out that illustrate the energy and connection of SABI.

As always, the sessions of science, tumor boards and wellness talks were outstanding and thoughtful. I walked into a workshop given by Dr. Victoria Chernyak, who gave an inspiring vision of the current and future efforts of Li-Rads, with her mentor Dr. Claude Sirlin piping in with support. It was emblematic of the growth of faculty who go on to succeed at high levels guided by the mentorship of SABI.

And then of course to see the reunion of the friendships at all levels was heartwarming. I remember Ghaneh Fananapazir saying to me he got back his “six pack” of his abdominal muscles after laughing so much with friends the night before.

It was such a privilege to introduce Dr. Bruce Rosen, one of my former mentors, to give the Presidential lecture of cutting-edge insights in functional neuro imaging, with lessons to be learned for young and mid-career faculty. I heard Bhavik Patel thank Bruce after his talk for giving him the perseverance to resubmit a grant effort. The Monday Gold Medal and Research Awards dinner was another highlight where it was such a privilege to honor Dr. Bill Shuman and Dr. Richard Ehman for their lifetime achievements, along with all the excellent research award winners. To see almost a third of a packed dining hall stand up when I asked for prior Gold Medalists, Chairmen, Section Chiefs and Vice Chairs of Research to rise vividly demonstrated the depth of the leadership SABI has.

We also brought together for the first time the Past Presidents who had a wonderful Italian dinner nearby on Tuesday night. Neil Rofsky and Bill Shuman helped to inspire and organize this outreach. I do think the reconnection of the Past Presidents will start a new era of energy and momentum that will enrich the future of SABI. - Beth McFarland, MD, FSABI, SABI 2021 President.

2021 Gold Medal Winners

Richard L. Ehman, MD
FSABI
Professor of Radiology
Mayo Clinic

Richard L. Ehman, M.D., is Professor of Radiology at the Mayo Clinic and Emeritus member of the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees.

Dr. Ehman is known for his contributions in clinical practice, education, research, and leadership. He was deeply involved in the early exploration of body, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal imaging applications of MRI and he led the clinical Body MRI practice at the Mayo Clinic through years of rapid growth. His NIH-funded research program has focused on developing new imaging technologies. He has authored or co-authored over 380 peer reviewed publications. As an inventor, he holds more than 80 US and foreign patents. His inventions, which include magnetic resonance elastography technology and methods for reducing MRI flow and motion artifacts are widely used in clinical radiology practice.

He has served as chair of the Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Study Section of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as a member of the Advisory Council of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering of the NIH, and as a member of the Council of Councils of the NIH. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2010.

Dr. Ehman has provided leadership in many professional organizations, including serving as president of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, the Academy of Radiology Research, the Society for Advanced Body Imaging, and the Radiological Society of North America.

William Shuman, MD
FSABI
Professor of Radiology
University of Washington

Dr. Shuman received his undergraduate degree from Yale and medical degree from the State University of New York. After completing a residency in Diagnostic Radiology at the University of Vermont in Burlington in 1979, Dr. Shuman went on to a two-year fellowship in Ultrasound and Computed Tomography at the University of Washington. Dr. Shuman continued as faculty at UW, raising to the rank of Professor in the Departments of Radiology, Oncology, and Radiation Oncology in 1988. While at the University of Washington, Dr. Shuman served as the Director of CT (1982 – 1990) and MR (1983 – 1990). Subsequently, he moved to become Director of Computed Tomography, Ultrasound, and MR at the University of Vermont (1992 – 1995) while continuing to hold Clinical Professorships at the University of Washington and Seattle University. In 1995, Dr. Shuman became the Director of CT/MR/US at Evergreen Hospital Medical Center in Kirkland, WA and eventually Medical Director of Diagnostic Imaging. He also rose to CEO of Radia Medical Imaging, the largest private practice Radiology group in the western US. However, in 2003 Dr. Shuman returned to the University of Washington to become Professor, Medical Director of Radiology at UW Medical Center, and Vice Chair of Radiology. He subsequently served as Interim Chairman of the Department of Radiology from 2016 – 2019, after which he was promoted to Professor Emeritus.

Outside the University of Washington, Dr. Shuman is the Past President of the Society of Computed Body Tomography/MR (SCBT/MR), now the Society for Advanced Body Imaging and has served on the Radiology Education Alliance of the ACR as well as numerous committees for multiple societies. His CV lists 155 peer reviewed publications. His research interests center on dual energy CT in body imaging, cardiac CT, and iterative/AI image reconstruction techniques.