June 2007 | Vol. 25, No. 6

News of the Vascular Profession

Dale Cyr Receives Joan P. Baker Pioneer Award from SDMS

(Reprinted from the ARDMS News)
Dale Cyr, the ARDMS CEO and Executive Director, was recently honored with the Joan P. Baker Pioneer Award. Established in 1994 by the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), the award honors a Sonographer who has made a unique, outstanding, and enduring contribution to the sonography profession.

Dale began his diagnostic ultrasound studies at Seattle University. There, under the program direction of Ms. Baker, Dale studied all facets of diagnostic ultrasound, and performed his clinical internship at the University of Colorado Medical Center, in Denver, Colorado. Eventually his interests led him to focus primarily on the field of fetal sonography at the University of Washington, in Seattle, Washington, where he was Chief Sonographer.

“This award was particularly meaningful,” said Dale Cyr, “because it was presented to me by my instructor, mentor, and friend, Joan Baker. This prestigious award is also a reflection of all the wonderful sonographers and physicians at the University of Washington Medical Center, who I worked with, and supported me, for many years as everyone made, and continues to make, significant differences in patients lives on a daily basis with their clinical and research skills.”

“One of my proudest moments as a teacher was to witness Dale receiving the Pioneer Award and recognizing him as one of the prodigies of Seattle University's ultrasound program,” said Ms. Baker.

Nominees for the Joan P. Baker Pioneer Award are evaluated on the contributions they have made that have progressed or changed the field of ultrasound and/or increased the knowledge and wellbeing of Sonographers. Indeed, Dale’s long history of clinical research, published studies, educational lectures, national organizational committee roles, and work as ARDMS’s Executive Director, has helped shape the profession of Sonography.

“Joan’s focused and prophetic vision of the field has had a profound impact on me,” said Dale, “She instilled the need for continuing professional development and the shared responsibility of all Sonographers to advance the field of ultrasonography.”

In 1986, Dale published the first peer-reviewed study on in-depth fetal echocardiography techniques. Just two years later in 1988, utilizing new technology for superior image quality, Dale’s first trimester research on fetal bowel and central nervous system development helped elucidate the difference between normal and what was previously thought to be aberrant development. His research helped to establish the concept of embryosonology and fetal echocardiography as dedicated clinical sub-specialties. Throughout the 1980’s and early 1990’s, Dale always worked collaboratively with others in the field as well as consulting with all major sonography equipment manufacturers. Dale was a primary investigator in the development of Power Doppler techniques and uses, and has traveled the globe lecturing on varying topics in the field.

His tenure as CEO and Executive Director for ARDMS has seen the development of new credentials in the specialty areas of breast and fetal echocardiography as well as the first physician credentialed in vascular interpretation and, under his leadership, the ARDMS has also developed a global expansion program. These new credentials have enjoyed immense community support and have lead to the development of educational materials and professional conferences. Dale was also the founding Executive Director of the Breast Ultrasound Foundation which fostered sonography education for professionals and the public. Under his direction, the Foundation produced two sets of widely acclaimed educational CD-ROMs for breast sonography professionals and distributed more than 3 million breast ultrasound brochures to patients throughout the United States.

“Every teacher gains so much satisfaction from seeing their graduates grow and make a significant contribution to their chosen career and the impact a teacher has is revealed in how their graduates perform and succeed,” said Joan Baker. “Thank you, Dale, for all you do for our profession.”

Joan P. Baker, for whom the Pioneer Award is named after, is credited with establishing the sonography occupation under the U.S. Office of Education in 1973. Ms. Baker was also instrumental in the establishing SDMS in 1969, ARDMS in 1975, and the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. She served as the first president for SDMS and ARDMS and was recognized by the Smithsonian Institute as a pioneer in the field of ultrasound.

NEMA Announces New Name for its Medical Imaging Division

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), located in Rosslyn, VA, has announced that its medical imaging division has a new name – Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance (MITA). According to NEMA, the new name provides a broad umbrella for the diverse technologies and companies that comprise medical imaging, including diagnostic technology. MITA will remain a division of NEMA. Details at www.medicalimaging.org.