Laboratory Named For Nuclear Cardiology Pioneer

The Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory at The Methodist Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine was dedicated Feb. 13 in honor of Dr. Mario S. Verani, who served as director of the lab and professor of medicine at Baylor until his death from pancreatic cancer last October at age 58.

More than 150 guests, many who are leaders in the field of nuclear cardiology, attended the dedication ceremony of the Mario S. Verani Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory, located on the 9th floor of The Methodist Hospital’s Fondren-Brown Building.

A nationally recognized authority in the field of nuclear cardiology, Dr. Verani led the Nuclear Cardiology Lab to a position of national prominence. For the past two decades, the lab has remained at the forefront of nuclear cardiology research in the United States, a distinction that continues today.

Along with his fellow researchers, Dr. Verani pioneered the use of intravenous adeosine as a test for diagnosing the presence of coronary artery disease. He also researched the use of radionuclide angiography to improve heart function.

In the week before his death, Dr. Verani received the Distinguished Service award from the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, only the fourth time the award has been presented in the society’s history. The society is an international professional medical society with more than 4,500 members with specialties in cardiology, nuclear medicine and radiology. Dr. Verani was the society’s president from 1996 to 1997.

He also served on the editorial boards of several scientific journals and was an associate editor of Circulation. He is listed in the book "The Best Doctors in America," published by Woodward and White.

---

©2006 Texas Medical Center

---

E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/03_01_02/page_08.html