RSNA Press Release

Chicago, November 28, 2010 — Today the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conferred its highest honor, the Gold Medal, upon William R. Brody, M.D., Ph.D., David H. Hussey, M.D., and Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D.

In a tradition that originated in 1919, Gold Medals are presented each year to individuals who have rendered exemplary service to the science of radiology and who have received unanimous approval by the RSNA Board of Directors.

William R. Brody, M.D., Ph.D.

A unique combination of innovator, engineer, entrepreneur and physician-scientist, William R. Brody, M.D., Ph.D., earned a national reputation for his fierce devotion to investing in research and education while presiding over two of the world's most prestigious medical research institutions.

"Bill Brody is a rare combination of scientist, clinician, engineer, statesman, business leader, educator and concert pianist," said 2010 RSNA President Hedvig Hricak, M.D., Ph.D., Dr. h.c. "He is not only a highly cultured individual, but also a warm, wise and fiercely loyal friend to the institutions he has led and to the individuals that stood by his side in his many fields of endeavor. His vision has propelled into preeminence every entity that he headed."

"I am humbled to be honored as a Gold Medalist and have my name placed alongside those to whom I looked up in the early days of my radiology career," Dr. Brody said.

Appointed president of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in 2009, Dr. Brody served the preceding 12 years as president of The Johns Hopkins University, where he forged a deepened commitment to undergraduate education, diversity, the community and research.

A prolific innovator, Dr. Brody holds two U.S. medical patents and has made significant contributions in medical acoustics, CT digital radiography and MR imaging. The Stockton, Calif., native received his bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his medical degree and doctorate, also in electrical engineering, from Stanford University.

Following post-graduate training in cardiovascular surgery and radiology at Stanford, the National Institutes of Health and the University of California, San Francisco, Dr. Brody served as a professor of radiology and electrical engineering at Stanford University from 1977 to 1986.

He followed that position with a 1987–1994 term as the Martin Donner Professor and director of the Department of Radiology, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and professor of biomedical engineering at The Johns Hopkins University, and radiologist-in-chief of The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Renowned for his achievements in biomedical engineering, Dr. Brody is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine.

David H. Hussey, M.D.

A major voice in radiation oncology from the very beginning of his distinguished career, 2005 RSNA President David H. Hussey, M.D., is internationally known for his outstanding contributions to patient care, research and training of medical students and residents.

"In addition to being a top clinician and researcher in his field, Dr. Hussey has provided remarkably dedicated and effective service to the radiologic sciences year after year," Dr. Hricak said. "Through his leadership of crucial national organizations, he has played an integral role in shaping the radiologic professions as we know them and encouraging them to work together for the benefit of patients everywhere."

"I have been attending RSNA meetings regularly since the first year of my residency in 1965—it was the first scientific meeting I attended as a physician and, as such, made a significant impact on me in some of the most formative years of my career," said Dr. Hussey, a clinical professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio since 2001.

In addition to his service to RSNA, Dr. Hussey served as president of the American Radium Society and the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO, now the American Society for Radiation Oncology). He also was a member of the board of trustees of the American Board of Radiology, where he contributed significantly to the recertification examination in radiation oncology.

Dr. Hussey earned his bachelor's degree from Beloit College in Wisconsin and his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He continued his medical training with an internship and a radiology residency at the University of Iowa and a radiation therapy fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute.

Between 1969 and 1983, Dr. Hussey was on the faculty at MD Anderson Hospital, where he directed the Fast Neutron Therapy program. He then spent a year in private practice before moving to the University of Iowa to head the radiation oncology division for 15 years. He returned to Texas in 2001, joining the faculty of the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio.

Dr. Hussey's research has included a clinical evaluation of fast neutron therapy using the Texas A&M Variable Energy Cyclotron. His practice has covered a broad range of neoplasms, focusing on head and neck, testicular and prostate cancers.

Dr. Hussey has been honored with Distinguished Alumni Awards from the MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Washington University Medical School and fellowships in the American College of Radiology and ASTRO.

Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D.

While many in the medical community came to know the name Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., during his tenure as director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and current assignment as a U.S. presidential science envoy, radiologists have long benefitted from his visionary leadership and prolific research.

"Dr. Zerhouni's story exemplifies why openness to individual talent and imagination have made the U.S. richly successful," Dr. Hricak said. "He has contributed to the greatness of this country and provided a model for others to follow."

"In my formative years, RSNA was the place I came to for 24 consecutive years, to learn from our many leaders and innovators who brought medical imaging into the mainstream of medicine and biomedical research," Dr. Zerhouni said. "Their example, friendship and support immeasurably helped me in my professional life, including my roles beyond radiology. I am deeply grateful to RSNA, honored to receive its Gold Medal and humbled by the fact that only in America could this have happened."

Dr. Zerhouni is a senior adviser at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Md., and was named a U.S. presidential science envoy in November 2009. He served as NIH director from 2002 to 2008.

As the 15th director of the NIH, Dr. Zerhouni oversaw the world's largest biomedical research and development agency, with more than 27,000 employees and a yearly budget of $29.5 billion. He spearheaded a series of reforms that led to the successful passage of the NIH Reform Act of 2006 by the U.S. Congress. He also launched the Roadmap for Medical Research and the Pioneer, New Innovator and Pathway to Independence grant programs.

Prior to joining NIH, Dr. Zerhouni served as chair of the Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science as well as Executive Vice-Dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine from 1995 to 2002.

Dr. Zerhouni was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 2000. He has received the gold medal of the American Roentgen Ray Society, two Paul C. Lauterbur awards from the Society of Computed Body Tomography & Magnetic Resonance and the Special Presidential Award of the European Congress of Radiology. He has received the Fleischner Society Medal, been elected a fellow of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and received the International Society of Radiology Béclère Medal.

Dr. Zerhouni's research has focused on developing novel quantitative imaging methods for CT and MRI. He holds several patents.

Note: Copies of RSNA 2010 news releases and electronic images will be available online at RSNA.org/press10 beginning Monday, Nov. 29.

RSNA is an association of more than 44,000 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)