Magazine recognizes them as part of the 25 most influential

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Matthew Mauro: Not only a long-time member of the Society of Interventional Radiology, Mauro also served as president of that organization and chairman of the SIR Foundation. He was a member of the Board of Chancellors in the leadership group of the American College of Radiology, a group that oversees political, socio-economic and educational aspects of the discipline. He also was a trustee of the American Board of Radiology.

In addition to leadership roles, Mauro published more than 120 peer-reviewed articles and about 30 book chapters. John Kaufman, SIR president in 2008, selected Mauro as the 2009 recipient of the 25th annual Dotter lecture, and Mauro has served as a visiting lecturer more than 200 times.

Joseph Lee: A professor of radiology at UNC and one-time chair of UNC's radiology department, Lee was appointed the 2009 president-elect of the American Roentgen Ray Society, the first and oldest radiology society in the U.S. He is also an "E.H. Wood Distinguished Professor of Radiology" winner.

Lee has delivered multiple lectures: 180, to be exact, and to audiences on every continent save Antarctica. On the literature scene, Lee has written more than 160 scientific papers and edited several books.

by erin wiltgen

chh@heraldsun.com; 918-1035

CHAPEL HILL -- Two UNC-Chapel Hill doctors received recognition as part of the top 25 most influential in radiology, courtesy of RT Image magazine.

RT Image, a national radiology magazine, compiled a list of the top 25 most influential people, institutions and organizations in radiology in 2009 by looking at various studies and interviewing experts in the field. Matthew Mauro and Joseph Lee, both doctors at UNC, were two of only nine individuals to make the list.

Tom Hughes, managing editor for the UNC Medical Center news office, said the doctors' recognition spoke significantly about both their personal success in the radiology field and the school itself.

"Anytime an outside organization says that two of your people are among the most influential people in their field, I think that reflects well on the organization in which they work," he said.

Mauro and Lee certainly have earned the title. Over the years, both have served in leadership positions for national radiology organizations and written a fair share of literature.

"I've been around radiology for quite a while," Lee said. "It's always nice to be recognized by your peers and other people."

Radiology experts that they are, Mauro and Lee had to start somewhere. Radiology sparked Lee's interest when he listened to a lecture by a professor at Washington University who was able to pinpoint a patient's problem that other doctors weren't able to diagnose using the typical medical history and physical exam.

"I was inspired by the professor, who was able to combine all these and look at the images and come up with a correct diagnosis," Lee said. "It's really like detective work."

Mauro also got his inspiration in college, drawn by new discoveries in the radiology field.

"Early on, when I was going through medical school, that was just at the very beginning of a new era of technological advances and imaging," Mauro said.

Computed Tomography (CT) scans had just come on the market, allowing doctors to use imaging to examine the body. Such exciting discoveries drew the young doctors to a field they saw as advancing at a rapid pace.

"If you look at the last 30 years, radiology is one of the branches of the medical profession which has many, many advances which really revolutionized" its application, Lee said.

New discoveries and recognition among the top 25 aside, it's still just all in a day's work for these two doctors. They both said they love what they do, and their dedication wouldn't change a fraction with or without an honorary mention.

"It's just like everything else you do in life," Lee said. "You don't look for these things. It's not like you're waiting for these things. You do your work and what interests you, and you do the best you can do."