RSNA Press Release

CHICAGO (Nov. 29, 2007) — Ronald L. Arenson, M.D., was named the newest member of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Board of Directors today at the Society's annual meeting in Chicago.

A member of RSNA since 1973 and a longtime RSNA volunteer, Dr. Arenson is chair and Alexander R. Margulis Distinguished Professor of Radiology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), a position he has held for the last 15 years. As chair, Dr. Arenson is responsible for radiology at four institutions – the main UCSF campus, San Francisco General Hospital, the Veterans Administration Medical Center and Mt. Zion Hospital.

An expert in radiology informatics, workforce issues and the effect of managed care on radiology, Dr. Arenson will serve RSNA as liaison-designate for the annual meeting and technology. He will work under Burton P. Drayer, M.D., for one year until Dr. Drayer becomes the RSNA Board chairman and Dr. Arenson assumes the role of liaison.

"I have worked on RSNA committees and other activities for many years," Dr. Arenson said. "I have grown to really appreciate the Society's extensive achievements. It is indeed a great honor to be able to serve on the RSNA Board and to continue working for this fine organization."

Dr. Arenson previously served as RSNA second vice-president in 2006, chaired the Electronic Communications Committee (now the Radiology Informatics Committee) and has worked on several other committees including the Publications Council, Task Force on Intellectual Property, Research Development Committee and the Public Information Advisors Network.

Currently president of the International Society for Strategic Studies in Radiology and the Association of University Radiologists, Dr. Arenson is a past-president of the Society of Chairmen of Academic Radiology Departments and the Academy of Radiology Research. He is a member of the National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering's National Advisory Council. Dr. Arenson has been awarded fellowships from the American College of Medical Informatics, the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine and the American College of Radiology.

"I hope to help RSNA achieve its strategic goals by focusing on the most appropriate use of technology to make the annual meeting even more successful for our members and associated organizations and industry," Dr. Arenson said. "As part of my portfolio in my liaison position, I will return to the Radiology Informatics Committee. As the former committee chair, I remain in awe of their accomplishments. I hope my experiences will help me work well with this terrific group of radiologists and informatics specialists."

While working as a systems engineer for IBM in the 1960s, Dr. Arenson earned his medical degree from New York Medical College. He completed his internship at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York and his diagnostic radiology residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

After serving in the U.S. Navy at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Dr. Arenson joined the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania in 1976. During his tenure there, he was associate chairman of clinical services in radiology, president of the medical staff and interim vice provost for computing.

Note: Copies of RSNA 2007 news releases and electronic images will be available online at RSNA.org/press07 beginning Monday, Nov. 26.

RSNA is an association of more than 41,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists committed to excellence in patient care through education and research. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill. (RSNA.org)