Society of Interventional Radiology Honors Three Pioneers for Continued Distinguished Service

SIR Gold Medals presented to Andrew B. Crummy, M.D., FSIR; Gordon K. McLean, M.D., FSIR, and Peter B. Lauer, CAE, at SIR's 36th Annual Scientific Meeting for Contributions to SIR or to Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology

CHICAGO, March 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Andrew B. Crummy, M.D., FSIR; Gordon K. McLean, M.D., FSIR, and Peter B. Lauer, CAE, were each awarded SIR's Gold Medal, an honor given to those who have helped ensure the future of interventional radiology by advancing the quality of medicine and patient care, during the Society of Interventional Radiology 36th Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago.

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Andrew B. Crummy, M.D., FSIR, had served as professor of radiology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison; former president of the University of Wisconsin Hospital board; and an examiner for the American Board of Radiology. In the 1970s, Crummy collaborated with Charles Mistretta, Ph.D., and Charles M. Strother, M.D., at the University of Wisconsin to develop digital subtraction arteriography, a technique to visualize blood vessels following the injection of contrast material. DSA uses digital rather than analog recordings, which allowed clear definition of the vessels with reduced amounts of contrast resulting in decreased risk and discomfort, a shortened recovery time and reduced cost. Crummy heralded the technique's simplicity and ease in comparison to films, energetically disseminating clinical applications of DSA. Now in everyday practice in nearly every vascular /cardiology laboratory in the world, the procedure is indispensable to angiographers.

He was also instrumental to the development of SIR with countless contributions to the Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology (SCVIR was renamed SIR in 2002). In the 1970s, he served on virtually every SIR committee, which led to his election as the society's president in 1981. During his presidency, Crummy challenged the society's other leaders to open its membership while maintaining high standards and had an important role in establishing SIR's fiscal and administrative beginnings. He has authored and co-authored more than 183 journal publications and 38 book chapters. His son, Timothy A. Crummy, M.D., is also an interventional radiologist and SIR member.

Gordon K. McLean, M.D., FSIR, is a past president of SIR and chief of the division of vascular and interventional radiology within the Western Pennsylvania Allegheny Health Care System in Pittsburgh, Pa., which he joined in 1989 as chief of angiography/interventional radiology. McLean is one of the original innovators of hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal interventional procedures and has been involved with the development of original techniques and devices for the past three decades. His early paper on angioplasty in more than 200 patients with superficial femoral artery atherosclerosis (SFA), one of the most common diseases of the lower extremities, was a landmark contribution, and in 1981 he coauthored one of the earliest textbooks describing technical approaches to interventional radiology procedures—many of which are still applicable today.

During his years of service on the SIR Executive Council, he worked to ensure that the component coding methodology of interventional radiology procedures would be accepted by Medicare and that interventional radiology services were appropriately valued. His role was especially critical when he was SCVIR council chair and then president, as the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule was first being implemented. McLean was one of the first presidents of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology Research and Education Foundation (now SIR Foundation) and played an important role in establishing the foundation as a major resource for funding interventional radiology research and promoting scientific investigation of interventional radiology methods.

Peter B. Lauer, CAE, is receiving the award posthumously, having served as executive director of SIR for more than seven years until his death in February 2010. Throughout his tenure as executive director, he helped propel both SIR and interventional radiology forward on many fronts. Lauer joined SIR as executive director in 2003 with a mandate to develop the society infrastructure to support the explosive growth of the interventional radiology specialty. Over the years, he contributed to advancing the science, clinical practice, public awareness, patient care and the business aspects of interventional radiology. He worked closely with the volunteer physician leadership and staff to streamline staff operations, reorganize and invigorate the SIR Foundation and reorganize the Society's SIRPAC. He was a member of the American Association of Medical Society Executives, where he served on its National Specialty CEO Committee and the Nominating Committee. Lauer was also a member of the American Society of Association Executives, having served on the ASAE Government Relations Section Council. His leadership was nationally recognized; he received a certificate of appreciation for 10 years of dedicated service and leadership to the board of directors of the Delnor-Community (Geneva, Ill.) Health System, the American Medical Association's Resident Recognition of Excellence Award and a certificate of appreciation from ASAE. In June 2010, Lauer received posthumously the AMA's Medical Executive Meritorious Achievement Award.

He began his career as an association executive in 1977 at AMA, where he played a vital role in building the organization's relationships within organized medicine. Over 26 years, he served in several key executive positions including vice presidencies of the House of Delegates, professional relations and membership and federation relations. He was executive director of AMA's American Medical Political Action Committee, which he reorganized and moved to Washington, D.C.

For more information about these awards or to learn more about the Society of Interventional Radiology, visit www.SIRweb.org.

About the Society of Interventional Radiology

Interventional radiologists are physicians who specialize in minimally invasive, targeted treatments. They offer the most in-depth knowledge of the least invasive treatments available coupled with diagnostic and clinical experience across all specialties. They use X-ray, MRI and other imaging to advance a catheter in the body, such as in an artery, to treat at the source of the disease internally. As the inventors of angioplasty and the catheter-delivered stent, which were first used in the legs to treat peripheral arterial disease, interventional radiologists pioneered minimally invasive modern medicine. Today, interventional oncology is a growing specialty area of interventional radiology. Interventional radiologists can deliver treatments for cancer directly to the tumor without significant side effects or damage to nearby normal tissue.

Many conditions that once required surgery can be treated less invasively by interventional radiologists. Interventional radiology treatments offer less risk, less pain and less recovery time compared to open surgery. Visit www.SIRweb.org.

The Society of Interventional Radiology is holding its 36th Annual Scientific Meeting March 26–31, 2011 in Chicago, Ill. The theme of the meeting is "IR Rising: Leading Image Guided Medicine," the theme chosen to reflect the optimism and pride the IR community feels as IR continues to revolutionize modern medicine.

SOURCE Society of Interventional Radiology