OSU College of Medicine Deans

William J. Means was the first Dean of The Ohio State University's College of Medicine.  He was appointed in 1914, when the College of Medicine was established by combining the Starling-Ohio Medical College with the Ohio State University. Means also served as the first Chairman and Professor of the Department of Surgery until 1916.  Means received his medical education degree in 1874 from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and held several positions at the Ohio Medical University, and Starling-Ohio Medical College before becoming the Dean.  Means Hall was built in 1951 and was named in his honor in 1968, and stands as a reminder for his contributions.

Eugene F. McCampbell received his BS and PHD degrees from the University of Chicago in 1911.  He received his M.D. degree from Rush Medical College in1912.  He was a member of the OSU College of Medicine faculty from 1914 to1917, and became the Dean of the College from 1917 until 1927. 

John H. Upham, was born in the State of New Jersey.  He obtained his M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1894. Upon graduation, he did a residency at Johns Hopkins at a time when notable physicians such as William Osler, William Halstead and William Welch among others were his teachers. Dr. Upham moved to Columbus in 1896. He was first hired as an Instructor in Medicine by Starling Medical College in 1897, and became an Associate Professor in 1902, and a Professor in 1908.  He joined the Ohio State College of Medicine in 1914, and spent the rest of his career at the OSU, until his retirement in 1941.  Upham Hall, was named to honor him, for his many contributions in the practice of medicine, and the education of medical students and young doctors.  

Charles A. Doan became the Dean in 1944.  He coordinated successfully the building of the University Hospital, which was completed and admitted patients on July 1, 1951. To the original hospital that is known as the "old hospital", six buildings have been added, and the complex is now designated by the Board of Trustees as the "University Hospitals."  Dr. Doan supported and financed the first commercial Nuclear Medicine camera which is now in the Smithsonian, in Washington DC. He and Dr. Meyer brought a medical cyclotron at Ohio State's campus along and a nuclear reactor.  Dr. Meyers produced and introduced at least six radionuclides in medicine.  The building of the University Hospital and the advances he Nuclear Medicine were notable accomplishments.

Richard L Meiling (1908-1984) was the leader at the OSUCM across multiple decades.  He was Professor and Dean of the College of Medicine and Director of the University Hospitals.  Dr. Meiling received his medical degree with honors at the University of Munich, Germany in 1937.  Upon completion of his medical education, he came to OSU in 1938.  He did a residency in Pathology and Obstetrics and Gynecology at Western Reserve University Hospital in Cleveland, and was board certified in both fields. He was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.  He conducted original scientific work in the use of vitamin C, the application of Cobalt-60, and in the "air evacuation" of patients by the military.  His interest, in medical education, led him to receive many invitations as a consultant by several foreign governments, and overseas medical groups.  Meiling answered a call to serve, first with the Hoover Commission on National Security, and then as a consultant to the Secretary of Defense, in 1948.  The building that houses OSU medical school, was named after him, as a recognition for his contributions to OSU College of Medicine and the nation.

John A. Prior (1913-1992) was Professor Emeritus and Associate Dean for the Ohio State's College of Medicine.  Doctor Prior received both his BA and MD degrees from the Ohio State's College of Medicine.  After an internship at Grant hospital, in Columbus, he did a residency in Internal Medicine and a Fellowship in Pulmonary Diseases at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.  He was recognized nationally for his expertise in the area of chest diseases especially in tuberculosis and histoplasmosis. Dr. Prior chaired the committee that was responsible for the design and creation of the Health Sciences Library, which was named "John A. Prior Health Sciences Library" in his honor on September 1, 1988.

Henry G. Cramblett (1929-2018) received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1953.  Dr. Cramblett came to OSUCM in 1966 as the Chairman of the Department of Medical Microbiology.  He was the Dean of the College of Medicine between the years of 1973 and 1980.  He was instrumental in the opening of the Outpatient Clinic in 1974, a building that was named after him.  It was Dr. Cramblett who established the relationship between Ohio State and the Nationwide Children Hospital which is nationally recognized for advanced care.  Dr. Cramblett received the distinguished Service Award by the State Medical Board. 

Manuel Tzagournis was born in 1934 in Youngstown, Ohio and received his BS and MD degrees from Ohio State University.  He was the son of Adam and Argyro Tzagournis, who were immigrants from the Greek island of Crete.  In 1961, while doing an internship at the Philadelphia General Hospital, he became interested in diabetes mellitus, which led him to practice endocrinology.  Tzagournis served as a National Institute of Health, principal investigator, at its General Clinical Research Center. He was responsible for the unit that studies patients with metabolic diseases.  Tzagournis held numerous positions at OSU including Assistant Dean for Research and Continuing Medical Education; Secretary of the Faculty of the College of Medicine; Associate Dean; Medical Director of the OSU Hospital; Acting Dean in1980; Dean (1981-1995); Vice President for Health Sciences (1994-2002); and Vice President and later President of the University's Managed Care System.  Tzagournis is known for having produced an amiable resolution of the dispute about the practice plan, and for maintaining a good relationship between the alumni, and the practicing physicians.  I was recruited by Dr. Tzagournis, who was affectionately known as "Manny", his nickname.  As many faculty from all departments will testify, he considered and treated all faculty as members of his family.  In 1999, The Ohio State University, honored Dr. Tzagournis for his many contributions in the field of medicine, naming a new building that houses research laboratories as " The Tzagournis Medical Research Facility". 

                 Authored by D. G. Spigos MD and John Olsen MD

                         Emeritus Professors at The Ohio State University 

                        

 

This post is dedicated to Dr. W Willoughby, Mr. Sterling, and the Deans mentioned in this post, for their tireless efforts that made Ohio State     School of Medicine the preeminent medical school, it is today.

Ohio State College of Medicine

 The Ohio State University College of Medicine lineage goes back to the Willoughby University of Lake Erie, founded in 1834 in Willoughby, Ohio a small settlement by Lake Erie. Dr. Westel Willoughby (1798-1844) was the school's founder and first president.  It is noteworthy that Ohio was a new State at that time with a population of about 937,000.  In 1846, the institution moved to Columbus an was chartered as Willoughby Medical College of Columbus in 1847 and in 1876 to Columbus Medical University . 

In 1907, it merged with Starling Medical College to form Starling-Ohio Medical College.  Almost immediately upon opening, the school was contacted by a wealthy business owner Lyne Starling, who offered $35,000 to construct a new hospital and school complex in Columbus.  The concept of a hospital dedicated to teaching medical students was groundbreaking at that time.  This institution transferred all its assets to the Ohio State University in 1914, forming the modern Ohio State College of Medicine.  In 1916, the Columbus Children's Hospital (now Nationwide Children's Hospital) affiliated with the Ohio State College of Medicine.

Early in the 20th century the college establishes its presence on the OSU campus by including Hamilton and Kinsman Halls, and the Starling-Loving University Hospital.

During WWII the college introduced a two-year pathway to a medical degree in order to address wartime needs.  In 1970, the college launched an independent study program in medical education which was extended to three years , and then four years in 1980s.  In the 20th and 21st centuries the College of Medicine expanded its research and education by hiring well known scholars. Today, the Ohio State College of Medicine continues to be a leader in medical education, research, and patient care, with a focus on cutting edge advancements and innovative programs.

Walking through the doors of the old hospital at OSUMC in the spring of 1992, as a visiting professor, I felt both excited and overwhelmed. My first impression was that it was massive.  Clinics, hospitals, research buildings, staff, resident and student traffic.  Later in the fall when I was hired to become the chairman of radiology, I felt like stepping into both the future and the familiar.  The future because the technology here was world-class from a high field 1.5 Tesla magnet built in a new outpatient suite, and the familiar because from day one, the people reminded me why I chose academic medicine in the first place.  In my first few weeks at OSUMC, I realized that the department doesn't just interpret images, but we were deeply embedded in patient care, education and innovation. One of my first impressions was how collaborative this place was when in our noon conference, my lecture about "Splenic Embolization", a treatment I had developed at the University of Illinois in the 70s, the staff of the department and those of other departments had an open mind and were willing to try it in order to benefit their patients.  I came to OSUCM for the opportunity to assist in the further advancement of imaging, intervention and research and the chance to shape the next generation of radiologists.  I stayed until I retired because of the people - the culture of excellence                            and the commitment to patient care.

                Authored by D. G. Spigos M.D, Professor Emeritus, 

             at the Ohio State University and West Attica University.

This post is dedicated to the faculty, the residents, the fellows and students during my tenure as the Chairman of the Department of Radiology from 1992 to 2004.  I would like to mention and thank two individuals in particular; the late Dr. Charles Mueller who was the Acting Chairman and the person who invited me as a visiting professor and Dr. Manuel Tzagournis who was the Dean and the person who recruited, and guided me when he appointed me as the Chairman of Radiology.

Medical Education in Ohio

Before the 1800s, medical education in Ohio was apprentiship-based training, where aspiring doctors learned from practicing physicians.  During this period medical care was basic, and the understanding of the etiology of diseases was limited. The importance of sanitation played in the health of the people was totally ignored.  All this changed with the establishment of Medical Schools. 

The founding of the Medical College of Ohio was the beginning of a new era.  Daniel Drake, a prominent figure in the 19th-century American medicine, known for his work as a physician, scientist, educator and author found it.  He was the first President of the Medical College of Ohio in 1819, which later changed its name and it is now known as the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.  

A stimulus towards the establishment of formal medical education was the Cincinnati cholera of 1849.  Cholera is an infection of the small intestine. The classic symptom is watery diarrhea. Patients get cholera from drinking water or eating food contaminated with feces from infected patients. The severe dehydration causes the body to take a blue-gray tone, thus it was called "Blue Death". Treatment requires rehydration, orally or intravenously and a course of antibiotics. Although the cholera of 1849 spread throughout Ohio, the city worst hit was Cincinnati, the "Queen City" where some 6,000 Cincinnatians died from cholera that represented 6% of the city's population. In fact during the pandemic Cincinnati suffered more deaths than New York and London combined.  Today, an estimated 1 to 4 million people get cholera and between 20,000 and 140,000 die.  Although this number is unacceptably high, let's keep in mind that nowadays, all around the world, an overwhelming majority of children reach adulthood.  For much of history, almost half did not. Getting were we are required improved nutrition; riding drinking water of sewage; the discovery of antibiotics and vaccines with the last two being among the major advances in medicine of the last 100 years.  

Over time, other institutions like The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Case Western Reserve University also played significant roles in shaping medical education in Ohio.  In 1846, the Willoughby Medical University of Lake Erie moved to Columbus and became the Starling Medical College, which later merged with the Ohio State University.

Several medical schools emerged in Cleveland, including those associated with Saint Vincent Charity Hospital, Western Reserve College and Ohio Wesleyan University. 

The Medical College of Ohio (MCO) merged with the University of Toledo in 2006, forming the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences.

Ohio University became home to Ohio's only college of Osteopathic Medicine also known as the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. The college was created to address a shortage of family physicians and train doctors for underserved areas.

The Ohio State University College of Medicine implemented several innovations such as an independent study program in 1970s, later reverting to a four-year curriculum.  In the posts to follow, I will describe individuals who played key roles in the education of the students and care of the patients and about the OSU Department of Radiology's staff, faculty and innovations during the time, I was Radiology Department's Chairman.   

The text was authored by D G Spigos, MD PhD Professor Emeritus at the                                       Ohio State University.

This post is dedicated to the early doctors in the State of Ohio who took care of patients with care, even risking their lives, during the "time of the Cholera" in 1849. 

Cook County Radiology Chairmen 1961-2025

Cook County Hospital, which opened in 1857, used as a teaching hospital by Rush Medical School until the Civil War, when it transitioned to an army hospital.  The new CCH was renamed John H. Stroger Jr., opened in December 2002, and is housed in a facility located adjacent to the old hospital building on Harrison Avenue.

Radiology at Cook County Hospital began in the early 20th century, following Wilhelm Rontgen's discovery of x-rays in 1895.  As a major teaching hospital, Cook County quickly integrated radiographic imaging into its diagnostic and educational practices. Throughout the 20th century, the Radiology Department expanded its services and embraced new technologies.

The first radiologist at Cook County Hospital Dr. Hollis Potter, who received his MD degree from Rush Medical College in 1908. Dr. Potter was born in Wonewoc, Wisconsin in 1880. During his undergraduate years he became interested in the applications of x-rays in medicine.  He was a pioneer in the field of radiology, recognising advantages as well as limitations of early x-ray technology. For example, only the largest and most dense objects, such as bullets, kidney stones, and dense bones could be reasonably visualised. He was selected to direct the X-Ray department at Presbyterian Hospital in 1906, and the Radiology department at Cook Count Hospital in 1908.  He was the President of Chicago Roentgen Society, (later the Chicago Radiological Society), in 1913 and in 1923 he was awarded the gold medals of the Radiological Society of North America, the American Roentgen Ray Society and the American College of Radiology.  If my memory serves me correctly Dr. Potter's portrait was on the east wall of our conference room.

The first Chairman in the modern era was Dr. Leon Love who was born in New York City in 1923 and graduated from Chicago Medical School in 1946.  He completed his radiology residency at the Hospital for Joint Diseases and Bellevue Hospital and was certified by the American Board Radiology in 1951.  After residency, he served in the U.S. army from 1952 to 1954.  Dr. Love then he returned to Chicago and joined the Radiology Department of CCH in 1956.  In 1961, he was appointed director of diagnostic radiology a position he held until 1969.  During his residency he dedicated his efforts to the department and its residency program. He recruited Dr. Rogelio Moncada who was an outstanding teacher and residents from other programs used to come and attend his conferences. Dr. Love was awarded the Gold Medal from the Chicago Radiological Society in 1988.  His academic output included numerous published articles in referee journals.  After retiring from Loyola he continued teaching at Chicago Medical School into his 85th year.  It was Dr. Love who encourage me to apply for the Chairmanship at Cook County Hospital.  I was lucky I followed his advice because my tenure at CCH was amongst the best periods of my life.

Dr. Glen Dobben, was born in Michigan City, ID in 1929.  After graduating from Calvin College, he attended the medical school at Marquette University.  Dr. Dobben, a distinguised radiologist, became Director of Radiology at Cook County Hospital in 1970 and was also an Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Illinois in Chicago. Dr Dobben was recognized in Chicago and the United States for his expertise in the field. As residents, we had to make an appointment with Dr. Dobben in order to review neuroradiology films. This was due to his having a private practice in addition to being the head of neuroradiology for the U of I and working with Dr. Valvassori as well. He would go over each case explaining the anatomy and pathology so that we could report the films. Many of the cases we reviewed were pre & post-op films of craniofacial surgeries performed by a plastic surgeon from France on congenital malformations. One other case involved an uncle of an Orthopedic surgery resident, Dr. Dobben was able to diagnose a post-op brain abscess on plain skull films before the availability of CT. Dr. Dobben published several articles on the field of neuroradiology, his area of expertise. He was our teacher (1971-1974 UIC class of residents). The University of Illinois awarded him the title of Professor Emeritus when he retired, a recognition for his significant contribution to medical imaging and education.

Dr. Vivian J Harris, was a distinguished radiologist who served as the Chair of the Department of Radiology at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. She was also an Adjunct Professor of Radiology at the University of Illinois. Vivian Harris was born in New York City and got her medical degree from New York University in 1955. She did an internship in 1956 and was a resident. at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine between 1956 and 1958. She became the Chairman at CCH after Dr. Dobben retired. She was a known Pediatric Radiologist who had published extensively in medical journals. When became Chairman in 1986, I convinced her to stay as the Chief of the Division of Pediatric Radiology at Chidren's Hospital. The Chief of Pediatrics, Rosita Pildes, and Dr. Hernan Reyes, Chief of Pediatric Surgery, their residents and attendings enjoyed interacting with Dr. Harris on a daily basis. 

Dr. Dimitrios Spigos, the author of this post, was born in Athens, Greece in 1943. He graduated from the Medical School of the University of Athens in 1967. After medical school he served in the Greek Navy medical corps until 1970. Upon his discharge, he did a one year internship at Mount Sinai hospital in Chicago. His radiology residency was at UIC from 1971-1974 and was certified by the American Board of Radiology in 1975. Following residency, he was appointed chief of angiography and interventional radiology at UIC. He progressed through the ranks of academia, becoming Assistant, Associate Professor, then Professor. He published 162 articles in referee journals, wrote 19 book chapters and posted 43 scientific exhibits in national meetings. During his UIC years, he introduced two procedures for which he became internationally known; first the splenic embolization and second kidney biopsies under ultrasound guidance. He became the Chair at CCH in 1986 and left in 1992 when he became the Chairman at the Ohio State University Hospital. During his tenure at CCH he introduced new imaging modalities such as MRI and Interventional Radiology. When he retired, the Ohio State University and the University of West Attica bestowed on him the title of Professor Emeritus. He returned to his native country Greece in 2010. 

Brad Langer, was born in 1955 in Chicago. He received his medical degree from the University of Chicago and completed his Radiology Residency at the University of Illinois. Brad held many positions and was the most talented among staff. When I left in 1992, Brad became the Chairman of the Department and Acting Medical Director. Brad unfortunately died young t 2020. 

Dr. Pisaneschi grew up in Bynedale Pennsylvania, pop 350, a small town in Northwest Central portion of the State After graduating High School, he went to the University of Notre Dame and received a Bachelor of Science in Preprofessional Studies. Then, he continued his studies at Temple University in Philadelphia for medical o school and subsequently to Cook County for his Radiology residency.  He did an MRI fellowship at the University of Illinois. He spent three years in Buffalo New York in private practice with a group an academic group affiliated with the University of Buffalo. Dr. Langer recruited him in 1998 and Pisaneschi later became the director of the Division of Outpatient Imaging tenter attached to Fantus Clinic. During the time he worked with Dr. Langer and Dr. Dunne he helped in the planning of the new department for John Stroger Hospital.  Stroger was the first all digital department in the city including voice recognition from day one when the new hospital opened in 2001.  Later, he became Program Director for the residency and became System Chair in 2013.  He retired in 2023 and is currently serving as a volunteer attending.

After Mark Pisaneschi retired in April 2023, Morlie Wang MD served as an interim chair from April 2023 until November 2023 when Chun Feng MD was appointed radiology's Chair.  Dr. Feng completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign and earned her medical degree from Northwestern University. She completed a residency in Radiology and a fellowship in body imaging at Northwestern as well.

Dr. John Fitzpatrick was appointed interim chair when Dr. Harris stepped down and until Dr. Spigos became the Chair.  Dr. Patrick Dunne was the interim chair when Dr. Brad Langer was the interim director. Patrick and Brad were close and hand in hand provided solid radiology services to the hospital/health system.

The post was authored by D.G. Spigos, MD and Al Zuska, MD who were residents in the class of 1971-1974 at the University of Illinois.  Al was born in Chicago and lives in Chicagoland with his wife who was an x-ray tech.  Their son Steve in Radiologist at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI.

This post is dedicated to all CCH Radiology Chairmen who for the past 6 decades, guided the department with diligence aiming to improve the care offered to the patients as well as resident education.  It is also dedicated to the hundred of residents who also provided care while simultaneously learned our specialty.  It has been a privilege for all of us to have served in this historic institution. 

Cook County Hospital Radiologists 1986-1992

Cook County Hospital was regarded as one of the world's great teaching hospitals.  The "Old Cook County Hospital" opened in 1866.  It was open to all patients especially the poor and destitute most commonly immigrants and did not charge for the care it provided.  It was known as the city's "Ellis Island".

From its beginning CCH was a center for education and was affiliated with Rush Medical School. Neither the interns, nor the attending physicians were paid, but they gained wide experience with all sort of diseases.  The hospital was rebuilt in 1914 and it used open wards and solaria for the care of patients with tuberculosis. 

In the 1960s, voluntary attending physicians and residents were largely replaced with full time paid, young and socially conscious doctors. Cook County was famous for its Trauma Unit and also had the first Blood Bank in Chicago.  After more than a century it ceased functioning and was replaced by a new hospital that is called John Stroger, Jr which was built in close proximity with the old "Couny" as it was affectionately called. 

Radiology from 1986 to 1992 when I was the Chairman of the department was provided in the Main Hospital, the Pediatric Hospital, in Fantus Clinic and the MRI unit. 

In the diagnostic division Dr. John Fitzpatrick who was the interim chairman after Dr. Harris stepped down togeter with Dr. Alagratam an experienced radiologist and for a short time Dr. Tan interpreted chest, skeletal and other conventional studies.  Dr. Talwar a Sheikh from Burma interpreted intravenous pyelograms.

Dr. Parachuru Rao a very nice man was also the best in the city in the performance and interpretation of sonograms.

In charge of Computed Tomography was Dr. Susan Gilkey who studied at Loyola Med Center. 

Drs. Naseem and Rodriguez covered neuroradiology. Dr. Naseem brought me a "Bukhara carpet" when he returned from a trip in his native Pakistan.  I still have and cherished this unique gift.  

Dr. Brad Langer a native Chicagoan did his residency at UIC and came with me to CCH when I became Radiology's Chairman.  He was in charge of the residency

Dr. Patrick Dunne, a native Chicagoan, was the angiographer and did most of the diagnostic and interventional studies.  Dr. Langer and I assisted him when he was on vacation, needed a rest, and we also shared calls.

Dr. Marvin Petry a nice and easy going man covered MRI which was attached in front of the hospital on Harrison Street.  Brad Langer was also involved and helped Marvin especially because MRIs became very popular.

Outpatient studies were done in Fantus Clinic. Dr. Stan Stankevich who was a graduate from the Medical College of Warsaw, Poland was in charge of the division.  He was a hard-working man who in addition to the studies in his division also helped the breast imaging specialists as needed.  His associate was Dr. Whitehouse an easy going and experienced radiologist.

Drs. Gianfranco Fizzotti and Pamela Sobti interpreted mammograms and ultrasound studies of the breast in Fantus Clinic.  Dr. Fizzotti was a graduate of the University of Pavia in Italy and did his residency at CCH.  He was an expert in breast imaging which was his passion.  At some point followed the dictum "go west young man" and together with his wife Pia moved to Montana first then to Idaho. When he retired they moved to Santa Fe, NM. Dr. Sobti a pleasant and easy-going lady put patients and referring physicians at ease.  She was a graduate of All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India.

Radiation therapy was also in Fantus.  Dr. Marion Magalotti a wonderful man was the Chief of the division. They were using a Cobalt-60 unit to treat patients. Cook County Hospital was one of three hospitals in the United States to install a Cobalt-beam therapy for the treatment of cancers.

Dr. Francisco Lopez, a native of Spain, was the chief and an expert in Nuclear Medicine.  Among his other talents was drawing.  He made a sketch of me which unfortunately I have lost.  Dr. Sansi was an experienced nuclear medicine physician and did the interpretation of most of the studies. 

Dr. Vivian Harris, a New Yorker, was the chief of Pediatric Radiology.  Her Associate was Dr. Peter Theofer who got his MD degree from the University of Athens and did his radiology residency at UIC.  He also did a Pediatric fellowship at George Washington in DC.  They both reviewed complex cases with Dr. Rosita Pildes, the Chief of Pediatrics, and her staff daily. They also reviewed cases with Dr. Hernan Reyes, Chief of Pediatric Surgery

Radiology also covered the needs of Cook County Department of Corrections on California Avenue.  Dr. Eugene Lidow was the single radiologist interpreting all inmates' studies.  Dr. Lidow got his medical degree in Moscow, USSR.  He did his residency at UIC and joined the department at CCH when I became Chairman.  Upon retirement he moved to Naples, Florida.

Mr. George Dixon was the Chief Technologist and Mrs Reamer was his Assistant Chief. Mr. George Talge was the Chief of school of Rad technologists.  

Clara Vasilovic was the departmental secretary and when she retired Cory Nicovic a very nice lady became my new secretary.  Their assistant was Genie who was sitting in the front office and make sure that all physicians and visitors had easy access to my secretaries and I.

The following story made me feel how caring Cook County staff was to the poor; every winter a homeless lady was spending the nights in the long hospital corridor wrapped in a blanket.  No security guard or any of the staff asked her to leave the premises; she left on her own when the Chicago winter was over to move to a park close to the hospital tucked among the flowers.  

The post was authored by D G Spigos, MD PhD, CCH Radiology's Department Chairman between 1986 and 1992 and Dr. Ghassan Hammami a native of Syria who was my resident in those years.  Ghassan and I correlated clinical with angiographic findings of victims of gunshot wounds.  Our work drew international attention and was presented in several national and international conferences. Ghassan is currently practicing in the great State of Texas.

 

The post is dedicated to Dr. Bradley Langer who was born in 1955 in Chicago.  He received his medical degree from the University of Chicago and did his Radiology Residency at the University of Illinois.  Brad joined me when I became Chairman of Radiology at Cook County Hospital in 1986.  During my tenure he held many positions and was the most talented amongst the staff having as his main focus the patients' good.  When I left in 1992 Brad became Chairman of the Department and Acting Medical Director.   Brad unfortunately died young in 2020 leaving behind his beloved wifey Julie and his daughter Sylvie.  He is missed by his family and friends.  I am fortunate that I got to know and work with him when he was a resident at UIC and later attending at CCH.  The memories are  many.  I will mention only two.  Brad used to sail with me on the lake Michigan. He was with me and my brother on the return trip from the Mackinac island to Monroe harbor in Chicago. Also we both attended a meeting in Evian France where digital imaging was presented. It was practiced by the American Navy and was made public after the end of the cold war. Digital radiology has transformed our specialty.  Brad was more than a friend and colleague he was a son to me.      

UIC Radiology Department Chairmen 1946-2024

Dr. Roger Harvey was the Chairman of the University of Illinois Radiology between the years 1946 and 1970.  He received his MD degree from the University of Rochester.  Dr. Harvey carried out the first radiation treatment with a Betatron unit, and reported good results in 23 inoperable cancers.  He was a research associate of the Manhattan Project in WWII.  In 1968, when he was the President of the American Cancer Society, he cautioned that lung cancer death rate in women, historically lower than men, was beginning to show a steady rise.  Dr. Harvey was the longest serving Radiology Chairman at the University of Illinois.  Unfortunately, the 1971 class of residents did not meet him but we learned from the staff of the department that he was a great scientist and a kind man. 

Dr. Vlastimil Capek a native of Czechoslovakia was born in 1923. He graduated from Charles University in Prague in 1950. He did his residency at Cheb hospital and worked as a staff radiologist.  Dr. Capek experienced difficulties during WWII.  He escaped his native country after the Soviet Union invaded Chechoslovakia. He first moved to Austria and then to the United States.  His first job in the new country was as a darkroom   technician at UIC.  When Dr. Harvey, the Chairman of Radiology realized the potential of the immigrant, he advised him to take the State and Radiology boards which Dr. Capek passed.  He was hired as the chief of the section of angiography. Dr. Capek who had learned the Seldinger technique while in Europe, introduced it at UIC and Chicago as well.  Residents learned this advanced technique of catheterising vessels without a cutdown or direct stick.  When Dr. Harvey retired Dr. Edwin Liebner was appointed interim chair.  Dr. Capek was appointed the Head of the Department in 1975. Among his other interests were diagnostic ultrasound including the purchase of Picker ultrasound unit with an articulated arm.  I assisted him as a resident in the performance of the studies and when his administrative duties kept him busy, I did them.  Dr. Capek became an honorary member of the Greek Radiological Society.  He and his wife had two sons both of whom became radiologists.  After his retirement he moved to Santa Rosa, California.  Dr. Capek was more than a mentor to me, he was a second father.

Dr. Steve Pinsky, was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1942 and died at the age of 62.  He went to College at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and in 1967 he received his MD degree from the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University, Chicago.  He was further trained in Nuclear Medicine and Radiology at the University of Chicago.

He became a professor of Radiology at both the University of Chicago Medical School and the University of Illinois-Chicago College of Medicine.  He also served as Chairman of Radiology at Michael Reese Hospital and Chief of Radiology at the University of Illinois Medical Center.

He was a gold medal recipient of the Chicago Radiological Society, and served as president of both the Central Chapter of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and the Illinois Radiological Society.  He was a fellow of both the American College of Nuclear Physicians and the American College of Radiology. His special interests included travel, and he was a voracious reader but above all it was his devotion to his family. 

Dr. Mahmood Mafee was a native of Iran.  He received his MD degree at the University of Tehran in 1969.  Dr. Mafee did his radiology residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and the University of Illinois in Chicago.  Mahmood was a junior resident of the class of 1971-1974 at UIC.  He was hard working and was obvious to me that he would progress in academia and make great contributions in our field.  He did a fellowship of ENT radiology with Dr. Valvassori. Upon Dr. Valvassori's retirement he became the chief of ENT radiology at the Eye and Ear Infirmary in Chicago.  In 1977 he became an Assistant Professor later progressing to Associate and then Professor.  Dr. Mafee wrote more than 120 papers, and gave many lectures as an invited speaker.  He served on the editorial boards of several Radiology journals, and was the President of the American Society of  Head and Neck Radiology.  He became the Chairman of the Department at UIC after Dr. Pinsky retired.  He lead the department until his retirement in 1994 when he moved to California. Dr. Mafee is still active in academia and is currently reviewing the new edition of Mafee-Valvassori book on Head and Neck Radiology.  He recently visited Chicago to celebrate the Persian New Year with his children who live the Windy City.  

Dr. Masoud Hemmati was born and raised in Tehran, Iran.  His medical education was in University of Tehran College of Medicine (1962-1968). In 1969, he did an internship at the University of Tehran Hospitals and he was a Research Associate in the Institute of Experimental Medicine from 1971 to 1973.  When he immigrated to the United States, he did an internship at Saint Joseph Hospital in 1973, and a residency in Radiology at Northwestern Hospital from 1974 to 1977.  He received a post graduate degree in Management from the Webster School of Management in 1992.  He was recruited by Dr. Mafee to serve as Vice Chairman, and lead the business operation of the department.  He became the Head of the Department from 2003 to 2014.  He was an affable man who kept colleagues and referring physicians at ease.  He moved to Arizona when he retired.

Dr. Charles Ray was born in Cincinnati, Ohio but grew in Chicagoland. He received his MD degree from Rush Medical College and did his internship at Loyola MacNeal Hospital from 1989 to 1990, and his radiology residency at UIC from 1990-1994. Upon completion of his residency he did a fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in Interventional Radiology.  His interest and subspecialty was interventional and vascular radiology in which he has numerous publications in respected journals. Dr. Ray served as President of the Society of Interventional Radiology.  His first paper was on three-dimensional CT of imaging in Head and Neck pathology with Dr. Mafee, whom he considers one of his greatest mentors. Two papers with Dr. Andrew Wilbur about complications after laparoscopic cholecystectomy and complications of inferior vena cava filters drew international recognition.  He became the Head of the department of Radiology at UIC from 2014 to 2024 and served as Interim Executive Dean of the College of Medicine in Chicago.  He is certified by the American Board of Radiology and is licensed to practice in Illinois, Colorado and Utah. When he retired from UIC, he moved to Utah, where he is still practicing part time.  I knew Chuck from the time we were both in Chicago, he at UIC and I at CCH, as we shared a life-long interest in Interventional Radiology.  I thank Chuck for being a good friend and for providing me with information when I was writing this post.

This post was authored by D G Spigos, MD, PhD, former Professor at the University of Illinois and Chairman at Cook County Hospital and the  Ohio State University 

The post is dedicated in memory of Walter Tan who worked as my associate at UIC division of interventional radiology until his retirement. He was born in Burma and was a hard-working man with a genial personality. Unfortunately, he passed soon after his retirement due to Alzheimer disease. Dr. Tan is missed by all who knew him.  The post is also dedicated to Dr. Vera Hlaing, a native of Burma who received her degree from Mandalay University.  Her residency was at the Department of Pathology at UIC.  Upon graduation she became  an attending at Kaiser Permanente in Honolulu, Hawaii. When she returned to Chicago, she became the Chief of Pathology at Provident Hospital. Vera helped me when I was doing experimental work for my PhD thesis on Splenic embolization.  Knowing and interacting with Walter and Vera helped advance my career.  I suspect most readers do not know them but do know about the catastrophic earthquake that had its epicenter in Mandalay Burma (Myanmar), a city that was the center of Burmese culture and Buddhist learning.  More than three thousand people perished, and the destruction of sacred pagodas and other buildings is unimaginable. 

Distinguised Surgeons Univ of Illinois, 1967-1977

Lloyd Nyhus was the first Warren Cole professor and Head of Surgery at the University of Illinois in Chicago.  During his 22 years as the head of the department he was known for his kind and calm disposition and his innate sense of humour.  He was a mentor and role model to a generation of outstanding surgeons and staff of other departments like myself.

He was born in 1923 in Mount Vernon, Washington and got his medical degree in 1947 from the University of Alabama College of Medicine.  His surgical training was in Seattle, under the tutelage of Henry Harkins.  He was recruited to the University of Illinois department of surgery in 1967. 

Nyhus, became well known for the peptic ulcer surgery and together with Harkins published their landmark textbook Surgery of the Stomach.  Nyhus published more than 370 scientific papers and his other textbooks, Mastery of Surgery and Hernia will continue to educate and influence surgeons worldwide.

He served as chairman of the American Board of Surgery, the International Society of Surgery, the Chicago Surgical Society, the Society of University Surgeons, and the Warren H Cole Society.

Oscar Sugar received his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Chicago in 1940 and his Doctor of Medicine from the George Washington School of Medicine in 1942.  He served as Captain Medical Corps, United States Air Force from 1943 to 1946.  

Dr. Sugar was the head of the University of Illinois department of Neurosurgery and he was one of Chicago's pioneers in the field of Neurosurgery. His long career as a neurosurgeon included several much publicized cases including one separating Siamese twins joined at the head. Known for his caring and compassionate  manner with patients, he felt "the biggest problem in medicine is the inability or unwillingness or incapacity of some physicians to take the time to explain the care needed" in terms the patient could understand.

Those of us who attended his Wednesday noon conferences at NPI when neurosurgeons from around town asked his advice remember how nice he was to all.  Dr Sugar was a resident at NPI along with my fellow resident Al Zuska's father who did his Neuropsychiatry residency while in the Navy, frequently wearing his uniform. As a resident, he spoke to Dr. Sugar about his father who he remembered, partly due to the uniform. Dr. Sugar loved to mention Bastille Day during July conferences, and also loved the term “candelabra”, for the brain’s vasculature seen on angiograms. When I told Dr. Sugar that the performance of angiograms with catheters was better for the patients instead with needle stick(s), he sent his patients to me.  

Dr. Sugar always had a warm smile and all who knew him remember him as a gentle person with a kind heart.

Olga Jonasson was born in Peoria, Illinois in 1934.  She was a transplant surgeon and she performed the first kidney transplant in the State of Illinois.  Her undergraduate studies were at Northwestern University.  She received had Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Illinois  and completed her surgical residency in the same institution. In 1965, she was certified by the American Board of Surgery, the 37th woman to be certified. In 1958, she developed the department of transplantation at UIC and she performed the first kidney transplant in the State of Illinois in 1969. In 1977, Jonasson was named the chief of surgery at Cook County Hospital.  This made her the first woman to be appointed chief of surgery of a major hospital.  In 1987, she left CCH when she was named Robert M. Zollinger Professor of Surgery at the Ohio State University.  I was fortunate that I worked at UIC and with Dr.  Jonasson because she asked me to perform a splenic embolization in one of her kidney transplant patients who had developed thrombocytopenia.  Having not done such a procedure I checked the available literature and found that all patients who had their spleen embolized had died.  I discussed with Olga the grave results of splenic embolizations and I told her also that I had thought the correct approach was doing a partial splenic embolization instead which I did and it worked.  I did several more successful partial splenic embolizatios that were the beginning of my academic career.

Tapas K. Das Gupta, world-renown surgeon, researcher, and mentor was defined by his love of science.  He was one of the world's leading of authorities on the treatment of melanomas and sarcomas. 

Dr. Das Gupta was born in 1932 in New Delhi, India.  He went to College at the age of fourteen and admitted to medical school at the age of sixteen. He completed his medical training in 1953 and passed all exams with the highest distinction.  However, he had grown frustrated by the colonial narrow-mindedness of the medical establishment in India and he decided to go to the US to further his medical career.  Starting at Mount Sinai hospital in Chicago, Dr. Das Guptas' hard work , dedication, and intelligence propelled him through the ranks of academia.  He went as a faculty at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.  In 1967, he was named the head of Surgical Oncology at the University of Illinois.  It was in that institution that Dr. Das Gupta grew to an international renown physician.  He authored hunderds of papers, mentored dozens of fellows, and saved thousands of lives.  He was a champion of women's rights and helped many female surgeons advance their careers despite the "old boys" network in surgery.  I was very fond of Dr. Das Gupta and asked his advice on medical issues as well when I was applying for chairmanships.  I am indebted to him for reciprocating and being always a good friend and advisor.

I mourn the passing of all four great doctors who were my mentors but I celebrate their contributions.

This post was authored by D G Spigos, MD, PhD, former Professor at the University of Illinois and Chairman of Radiology at Cook County Hospital and the Ohio State University Department of Radiology. 

This post is dedicated to Dr. Mimis Cohen who was born in Athens, Greece in 1947 and graduated from the University of Athens in 1970.  We knew each other during our time in medical school as I was the president of the student body. We later met again when we served in the Navy.  When he completed his tour of duty in the Navy he moved to the US and did his residency in Surgery at UIC until 1973. He then did Head and Neck plastic surgery at Roswell Park Memorial Hospital.  He worked at CCH  between 1986 to 1989.  In 1989 he became the chief of Plastic Surgery at CCH and at UIC and a tenured Professor.  UIC created a professorship in his name in 2024.  Dr. Cohen published many papers in referred journals and authored books on Plastic Surgery.  Mimis remained active after his retirement organizing symposia about the contributions of "Romaniotes Jews" in the cultural life and prosperity of Greece from antiquity till today ie for two millennia.  The Academy of Athens elected his a corresponding member a distinction offered to few for his contributions in the fields of science and culture.  He currently lives in Chicago and frequently travels to other countries teaching young physicians in the art and science of Plastic Surgery.  I was fortunate to having met him and for being a life-long friend of his.