Gottschalk can think of no better way to go out
Health battle threatens to end run of 43 straight years at SNM meeting
Health battle threatens to end run of 43 straight years at SNM meeting
In a postscript to the 2006 Cassen Lecture, Dr. Alexander Gottschalk, a nuclear medicine pioneer associated with the development of technetium-99m for diagnostic nuclear medicine, disclosed that he was battling a life-threatening medical condition. He declined to disclose the exact nature of his condition. While Gottshalk remained dry-eyed, several long-time colleagues cried as he voiced a possible farewell.
"Let me close on a personal note," he said. "I am battling a serious medical condition. For medical reasons, this may be my last SNM meeting. If that is true, I will certainly miss seeing my old friends and making new friends. I will miss putting my two bits in during the discussion sessions I go to, but mostly I will miss the terrific science that surrounds us all at this meeting. I firmly believe that nuclear medicine will be a major modality that brings the molecular biologist to the bedside. But if this is the end of a 43-year run, it is hard to think of a better way to go out."
Gottschalk reported in mid-September that his condition had stabilized following therapy, and he felt well. He is scheduled to speak at the RSNA meeting in November. -JB
