Radiological Society of North America Awards Honorary Memberships

CHICAGO — Today the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) awarded honorary membership to three individuals who have distinguished themselves as outstanding contributors to the field of radiology and its allied sciences. The recipients were Lorenzo Bonomo, M.D., from Rome, Italy, Chamaree Chuapetcharasopon, M.D., from Bangkok, Thailand, and Jung-Gi Im, M.D., Ph.D., from Seoul, Korea.

Lorenzo Bonomo, M.D.

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Lorenzo Bonomo, M.D.

Lorenzo Bonomo, M.D., has been a respected educator and leader among international radiologists during his decorated career in chest imaging.

Dr. Bonomo's scientific research fields include imaging of pulmonary circulation, lung cancer staging and noninvasive cardiovascular imaging. His research into these areas, among others, is reflected in more than 350 scientific publications, which include four books and numerous book chapters.

"Along with his significant contributions in chest imaging research, Dr. Bonomo has served as an international ambassador for radiology, continually working to keep radiology in the spotlight across the globe," said RSNA President Ronald L. Arenson, M.D. "He devoted his leadership roles in European radiology organizations to strengthening relationships with other scientific societies and promoting the visibility of radiology."

"It is a great honor and privilege to receive RSNA Honorary Membership, and I am very proud and grateful for it," Dr. Bonomo said. "I've attended the RSNA Annual Meetings for more than 30 years and I consider this prestigious award not only a personal recognition, but an acknowledgment of Italian radiology as a whole, which has always been given an invaluable opportunity to grow both scientifically and professionally through RSNA."

Currently a professor of radiology and chairman of the Department of Radiological Sciences at the Catholic University of Rome, Gemelli Hospital, Dr. Bonomo is also director of the university's training program in radiology.

Dr. Bonomo earned his medical degree at the Catholic University in Rome in 1970. After completing his residency training program in Rome he moved to Chieti University, Italy, where he spent more than 25 years. After starting as associate professor and interim chairman in the Department of Radiology, he became a full professor and department chairman from 1990 until taking his posts at Catholic University and Gemelli Hospital in 2003.

From 1998 to 2003, Dr. Bonomo served as the founder and director of a government breast screening program in Italy's Abruzzo region. From 1996 to 2003 he served as director of the Medical Programme of the University of Chieti.

Parallel to his professional activities, Dr. Bonomo served as president of several radiologic organizations including the Italian Society of Thoracic Radiology from 1992 to 1996; the European Society of Thoracic Imaging (ESTI) from 1999 to 2000; and the First World Congress of Thoracic Imaging and Diagnosis in Chest Disease in 2005. He also received honorary membership from ESTI in 2006.

His dedication to radiology has brought him numerous awards, including honorary membership of the Argentinean, French, German, Greek, Italian, Romanian, Serbian and Spanish radiological societies. He was awarded a gold medal from the European Society of Emergency Radiology in 2013.

Over the past decade, Dr. Bonomo has held several prestigious positions within national and international radiological societies. He served as president of the Italian Society of Radiology (SIRM) from 2002 to 2004, during which time he was also a member of the Education Committee of the European Association of Radiology (EAR).

He went on to serve as treasurer of the EAR from 2004 to 2006 before the organization became a part of the newly founded European Society of Radiology (ESR), where he is now the immediate past-president.

Dr. Bonomo oversaw the organization of the ESR's annual meeting, the European Congress of Radiology (ECR), as the ECR 2012 Congress President.

In recognition of his contributions to chest imaging and his dedication to promoting radiology around the world, RSNA is pleased to present Lorenzo Bonomo, M.D., with honorary membership.

Chamaree Chuapetcharasopon, M.D.

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Chamaree Chuapetcharasopon, M.D.

A pioneer and leader in international radiology, in 2001 Chamaree Chuapetcharasopon, M.D., successfully implemented the first totally digital radiology department in her native Thailand at Bumrungrad International Hospital, a 500-bed private hospital which is still the leading center in the region.

"Dr. Chuapetcharasopon is a natural leader who has promoted the advancement of medical administration in her native Thailand throughout her career," said RSNA President Ronald L. Arenson, M.D. "Along with being an innovative interventional radiologist and renowned informatics expert, she is equally devoted to building international collaboration among radiologists around the world."

"This recognition has simply overwhelmed me," Dr. Chuapetcharasopon said. "For more than 25 years as an international member, I have enjoyed attending the annual meetings, making new friends, meeting old friends, and most importantly, learning something new every year. It is with deep gratitude that I accept this honor."

Dr. Chuapetcharasopon received her medical degree with high honors from Ramathibodi Hospital, faculty of medicine, Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, in 1979. After six years in community hospitals far from Bangkok, she decided to return to the city to complete her residency training in general radiology at the same institute where her father, Professor Thavi Boonchoti, also a radiologist, served as dean of the medical school at that time. Inspired by Dr. Chusilp Charnsangavej, a visiting professor from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Chuapetcharasopon pursued her fellowship in vascular and interventional radiology and body imaging at MD Anderson, working under Dr. Charnsangavej and Dr. Sidney Wallace from 1988 to 1990.

Dr. Chuapetcharasopon became interested in digital imaging after taking courses at RSNA annual meetings, which she first began attending in 1988. After 10 years as an interventionist in medical school and private practice, Bumrungrad International Hospital recruited her to be the chief of the Department of Radiology.

In 2002, Dr. Chuapetcharasopon joined Bumrungrad International's administrative team as the associate medical director, rising to the position of medical director where she oversaw 1,000 medical staff members from 2008 to 2012. Under her term as medical director, Bumrungrad International received its fourth Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation in 2011 and broke records by achieving the highest score in the hospital's history and in the history of JCI accreditation in Asia.

Dr. Chuapetcharasopon firmly believes that medical administration must not come at the sacrifice of medical knowledge. Therefore, she continues to teach and support many young radiologists in their research. Ten years ago, she was elected to the executive committee of the Royal College of Radiologists of Thailand (RCRT) and continues to serve on that committee. She also sits on the Thai Radiology Board Examination Committee and the Thai Interventional Radiology Sub-board Committee, and is involved in many international radiology events.

In 2012, she served as co-chair of the organizing committee of the Sixth Congress of the Asian Society of Cardiovascular Imaging (ASCI) in Bangkok, and in 2014, she was appointed as an ASCI executive committee member. She is the current president of the Radiological Society of Thailand and secretary-treasurer of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Association of Radiology.

Dr. Chuapetcharasopon is also recognized for her medical informatics knowledge and has given numerous lectures domestically and internationally. She is currently a member of the Thai Medical Informatics Association Executive Committee and has volunteered for 20 years with the Thai Medical Women's Association. She was elected as the Central Asia regional vice president of the Medical Women's International Association (MWIA) from 1997 to 2000 and as president of the Thai Medical Women's Association from 2012 to 2014.

After learning about the RSNA International Visiting Professor (IVP) Program in 2003, Dr. Chuapetcharasopon applied for the program as an RCRT representative. In 2005, she traveled to the annual scientific meeting in Bangkok where team members spent two weeks visiting teaching institutes. Subsequently, Dr. Chuapetcharasopon participated in other activities including teaching RSNA refresher courses in international education and serving as a speaker for the international luncheon for the American Association for Women Radiologists. Dr. Chuapetcharasopon was appointed to RSNA's Committee on International Radiology Education in December 2013.

In recognition of her impressive contributions to international radiology and medical informatics, RSNA is proud to present Chamaree Chuapetcharasopon, M.D., with honorary membership.

Jung-Gi Im, M.D., Ph.D.

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Jung-Gi Im, M.D., Ph.D.

An internationally renowned expert and lecturer in thoracic radiology, Jung-Gi Im, M.D., Ph.D., has made a significant impact on the direction of radiology research in his native South Korea and beyond.

Dr. Im is a professor of medicine in the Department of Radiology of the College of Medicine at Seoul National University, where he served as executive vice president from 2011 until 2014. He is also a consultant physician in radiology at Sheikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital in the United Arab Emirates.

"Dr. Im is a prolific researcher whose remarkable work in thoracic radiology has been recognized throughout the world," said RSNA President Ronald L. Arenson, M.D. "As an accomplished author, editor, lecturer and inventor, Dr. Im's many gifts will continue to advance the field of radiology for future generations. As a leader, Dr. Im has expertly guided the direction of radiology societies in his native Korea and beyond."

"It is my great honor and privilege to be an Honorary Member of the RSNA," Dr. Im said. "I hope that sustained and unprecedented contribution of the RSNA to research and education in radiology and allied sciences will continue to enhance the spirit of both science and humanity."

Born in Korea, Dr. Im received his medical degree in 1975 and doctorate in medicine in 1983 at Seoul National University, where he served as dean of medicine from 2008 to 2011. Dr. Im completed his research fellowship in the Department of Radiology at the University of California, San Francisco, in 1987.

Dr. Im has served as principal investigator on numerous research projects focusing on imaging of pulmonary infections, lung cancer, diffuse interstitial lung disease, mediastinal and chest wall disease, and other issues. He has been an invited lecturer in nearly a dozen countries on three continents.

Dr. Im has held a number of executive positions, including as president of the Korean Association of Medical Colleges from 2008 to 2012, and president of the Korean Council for Medical Education from 2010 to 2012. Dr. Im served as director of the Board of Directors for the National Research Foundation of Korea from 2012 to 2015, and as director for the Board of Directors for the National Cancer Center from 2009 to 2015. He also served as president of the organizing committee for the third World Congress of Thoracic Imaging, held in Seoul in 2013, and was a member of the organizing committee for the first two congresses. He is an active member of the Fleischner Society and a fellow of the Society of Computed Body Tomography and MR.

Dr. Im has received multiple Awards for Scientific Exhibition from the Korean Radiological Society Annual Convention, including gold awards in 1983, 1991 and 1997, and a silver award in 1992. In 2001, he was named Alumni of the Year by the Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine Alumni.

The founding editor of the Korean Journal of Radiology, Dr. Im has also been an associate editor of the Journal of Thoracic Imaging since 1997, and is a manuscript reviewer for Radiology and RadioGraphics. From 2008 to 2011, he served as president of the Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors.

Dr. Im has more than 200 published articles and has been the editor of two books on chest radiology. He also holds two patents in Korea: TFT Board Structure for High-resolution Digital Radiography and System and Methods for the Detection of Micro-calcification.

In addition to his work with the RSNA journals, Dr. Im has participated in the RSNA Annual Meeting as a session moderator and received multiple RSNA Certificates of Merit for Scientific Exhibition awards.

In recognition of his considerable achievements as a researcher, author, editor, lecturer and inventor, RSNA is proud to present Jung-Gi Im, M.D., Ph.D., with honorary membership.