RSNA Press Release

CHICAGO (Dec. 2, 2010) —  CHICAGO (Dec. 2, 2010) — Richard L. Ehman, 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. Dr. Ehman will serve as the liaison-designate for science under N. Reed Dunnick, M.D., until Dr. Dunnick becomes RSNA Board Chairman in 2012.

"For me, the RSNA represents radiology in full force," Dr. Ehman said. "By truly reflecting the breadth and depth of radiology, RSNA has an essential role in helping to define the future of medical imaging."

Dr. Ehman is a professor of radiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and is a clinician-investigator in Mayo’s Center for Advanced Imaging Research. He also holds joint appointments in physiology and biomedical engineering. He has been with Mayo since 1985 and currently serves on the Mayo Clinic Board of Governors.

"As an accomplished investigator and effective leader, Dr. Ehman is ideally suited to help RSNA further enhance its efforts in facilitating the translation of radiology research in patient care," Dr. Dunnick said.

Dr. Ehman’s research has focused on developing new MRI-based technology. He is the inventor of MR elastography, a method for "palpation by imaging" recently introduced as a clinical diagnostic tool. Dr. Ehman led many early studies that explored potential applications of MRI in body, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal imaging. He is also credited with developing several technologies that are widely used in clinical MRI, such as spatial presaturation used to reduce flow artifacts and "navigator echo" imaging techniques used to resolve structures in motion.

As principal investigator on multiple National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grants over the last two decades, Dr. Ehman has served as a referee on NIH study sections and chaired the Medical Imaging (MEDI) study section from 2002 to 2004. He currently serves on the National Advisory Council of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering of the NIH.

Dr. Ehman holds more than 30 U.S. and foreign patents and has authored more than 200 publications. Funding for one of his first research grants, "Development of a Comprehensive Method for High Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Moving Structures," came from the RSNA Research & Education (R&E) Foundation. Dr. Ehman now serves on the R&E Board of Trustees. RSNA honored Dr. Ehman with its Outstanding Researcher award in 2006.

"RSNA has shown a deep commitment to advancing the science and technology of medical imaging through its extensive scientific programming at its annual meeting, through its advocacy for federal funding for imaging research and through the phenomenally successful research grant program of the Research and Education Foundation," Dr. Ehman said.

Dr. Ehman earned his bachelor’s and medical doctor degrees from the University of Saskatchewan, which awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2000. He completed his radiology residency at University of Calgary and a fellowship at the University of California San Francisco before his appointment as clinical fellow at Mayo. During his career he has mentored more than 30 graduate students and fellows.

An associate editor of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Dr. Ehman also serves on the editorial boards of several other journals, including the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Dr. Ehman was 2002-2003 president of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), from which he received the gold medal in 1995. Dr. Ehman is a fellow of the Society for Magnetic Resonance Imaging and the American College of Radiology. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science in October 2010.

Note: Copies of RSNA 2010 news releases and electronic images are available online at RSNA.org/press10.

RSNA is an association of more than 46,000 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)