100 Years of Radiology at Stanford

Department of Radiology

CT, PET and PET/CT fusion images made in a single session that highlight lymphoma in the abdomen.

A century has passed since Stanford became one of the first universities to hire a "roentgenologist"—a scientist who delved into the then-brand new field of using X-rays to make images of bones, kidney and gallstones and foreign objects, as well as to treat skin conditions and cancers. Much has changed in that field beyond a new name—radiology—and some of the biggest developments occurred at Stanford: the nation's first medical linear accelerator, the use of radiation to treat lymphomas and today's experiments in molecular imaging. The Departments of Radiology and of Radiation Oncology, which split off from the radiology department in 1986, are holding a symposium Saturday to honor the past century of work, but also to peer ahead at the potential developments that could usher in a new era of personalized medicine. In tours that will be offered of the just-completed addition to the Lucas Center, visitors will see some of the departments' newest equipment—one of the world's most powerful magnetic resonance imaging machines and an advanced cyclotron that can create radioactive molecules to be used as tracers—that will make the personalized medicine idea into a reality. The day's message is that the history of radiology is still being written, and that some of the leading authors will be practicing on this campus.


FOR YOUR CALENDAR Saturday, May 21 Location: a tent adjacent to the Lucas Center, 1201 Welch Road, Admission is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, so RSVP to 723-9947 or e-mail 100year@lucas.stanford.edu. 1 – 2:30 p.m. OPEN HOUSE View historical and scientific exhibits, and tour the new addition to the Lucas Center 2:30 - 5 p.m. SYMPOSIUM A triumph of the department: Curing Hodgkin’s disease Saul A. Rosenberg, MD, professor of medicine (oncology), emeritus, will give a talk, “Finding a cure for Hodgkin’s disease—a partnership with Henry S. Kaplan.” The situation in 2005 Gary M. Glazer, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Radiology, and Richard T. Hoppe, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology, will lecture, respectively, on “A revolution in medical imaging: Where it stands, where it is headed” and “Radiation oncology: Advances in technology and improved patient care.” The leading edge of science: Shaping personalized medicine This discussion features three speakers: Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, professor of radiology, on “Molecular spies for personalized imaging;” Amato J. Giaccia, PhD, professor of radiation oncology, on “The future of targeted therapies for radiotherapy,” and Matt van de Rijn, MD, associate professor of pathology, on “New prognostic markers in breast carcinoma.” The economics: Can society afford personalized medicine? Tackling this subject are three business leaders and a top economist: Jeffrey R. Immelt, chairman and CEO of General Electric; Richard M. Levy, PhD, chairman, president and CEO of Varian Medical Systems; Erich R. Reinhardt, PhD, president and CEO of Siemens Medical Solutions, and John B. Shoven, PhD, professor of economics.