When I joined the American College of Radiology as a young lawyer in 1983, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was still in its infancy. When I first heard about this imaging modality, it was mostly referred to as nuclear magnetic resonance. The Food and Drug Administration would not approve MRI until 1984, and Medicare did not cover it until 1985. Since those early days, it is truly amazing to contemplate the impact this invention has had on healthcare in the United States and around the world.

The father of the MRI scanner, Raymond Vahan Damadian, has died but his amazing accomplishments that have brought diagnosis and treatment of so many illness and conditions to millions world wide live on. His passing is a reminder of how creativity, combined with determination and innovation can bring improvement to mankind.