Melvin S. Rosen, MD

How does one acknowledge 38 years of involvement with a single institution? The professional career of Mel Rosen, MD was linked to Mt. Zion Hospital, where he was part of the institution’s fabric and framework.

When Mel started his training at Mt. Zion, the three-year residency included both general and therapeutic radiology. Radiological diagnosis was based on plain films, barium studies, and intravenous contrast. Mel possessed the intellect, observation skills, intuition, and experience that were the tools of the trade at the time. After his residency, Mel practiced for five years in an office across the street from the hospital, becoming a full-time member of the faculty at Mt. Zion in 1975.

Mt. Zion had its own radiology residency until 1985 and Mel contributed to its excellence. Whether lecturing, reviewing films, or instructing how to word a report, attention to detail was critical to Mel. A radiological study was to be done a certain way because of specific reasons. There were no short cuts. His dedication included both the house staff and technologists.

Mel’s approach and commitment helped make Mt. Zion unique, a private hospital that consistently maintained a pragmatic academic approach to the clinical practice of radiology. As CT and ultrasound were introduced in the early 70’s, the new imaging methods stimulated Mel as an educational challenge. At the time, education and training in these new modalities were based on courses, articles, and most important, experience. His intellectual curiosity and sense of responsibility as a teacher motivated him to acquire the expertise and knowledge needed to instruct and use these new tools. Rather than be limited to either one type of machine or one organ system, he wanted to know it all. As a result, he became more valuable as both a teacher and a consultant.

"How can I help you" was usually how the consultation with Mel began. He was available, approachable, affable and accurate. Whether discussing the smallest radiological finding or putting that finding into the proper perspective, he never lost sight of the fact that he was dealing with a patient. Other radiologists may be better known and more widely published, but few are more "complete" as radiologists than Mel.

Mel plans to spend more time with his wife of 43 years, Ellen, and their two children and five grandchildren.

Contributed by Philip A. Brodey, MD, FADR

Edward A. Sickles, MD

Edward A. Sickles, MD, professor of radiology, has retired after 29 years at UCSF as chief of Breast Imaging. During his tenure, Dr. Sickles built the UCSF Breast Imaging Division into one of the foremost centers of its kind in the world. His pioneering efforts to bring the concept of evidence-based research in breast imaging to center stage changed daily clinical practice and improved patient care.

Dr. Sickles showed academic promise early on; his two career passions during childhood were medicine and baseball. (A little known fact about Dr. Sickles is that he was a skilled Little Leaguer in his Manhattan neighborhood.) He excelled academically at New York City’s famed Stuyvesant High School and graduated with honors from Columbia University and Cornell Medical School. After a fellowship in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute (during which time he also earned his board certification in internal medicine), Dr. Sickles traveled west to begin a residency in diagnostic radiology at UCSF.

Dr. Sickles completed his radiology residency and joined the UCSF faculty after only two years. Alexander Margulis, MD, then department chair, recognized in him the potential to become a world-renowned academician. Dr. Sickles rose through the ranks at a rapid pace, becoming professor of radiology in 11 years. Even early in his career, Dr. Sickles made important clinical contributions to mammography, many of which we take for granted nowadays: He was instrumental in the development of magnification mammography and he demonstrated the layering effects of benign milk-of-calcium through radiography of breast specimens in various projections.

A respected academician, Dr. Sickles’ research is recognized for its scientific merit not only within radiology circles, but also in the general medical community. He is perhaps best known for his work in the category of probably benign breast lesions. Indeed, Dr. Sickles coined the term “probably benign”, which has become part of the official language used in mammography as mandated by federal regulation. In more recent years, Dr. Sickles has performed tremendous work as part of the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, a national mammography registry that contains diverse case material involving many millions of mammograms. Thus, he has brought evidence-based research in breast imaging to an even higher standard.

Another aspect of Dr. Sickles’ career is his tireless work in promoting the widespread implementation of screening mammography. Through his political role as a leader in breast imaging, Dr. Sickles served influentially on many policy-making committees in Washington, DC. Twenty years ago, he was one of the six founders of the Society of Breast Imaging (SBI). Today, the SBI is the largest and most respected professional organization in breast imaging, entrusted with the task of ensuring leading-edge quality patient care and enhancing the practice of breast imaging.

For his multiple and various accomplishments, Dr. Sickles has garnered countless awards, including the Gold Medal from the Society of Breast Imaging for lifetime contributions. Dr. Sickles is most proud of the awards bestowed by the UCSF Radiology Department, including the Outstanding Teaching Award in 1993 and the Outstanding Alumni Award in 2000.

Though ultra-subspecialized as a breast imager and very dedicated to his work, Dr. Sickles has various outside interests and hobbies. He is a prolific academic traveler, having lectured in all 50 states, 30 countries and all continents except Antarctica. For more than 20 years, Dr. Sickles and his wife have shared a passion for opera and can be seen in their usual seats at the War Memorial Opera House. More recently, he has acquired a love of bird watching, which he shares with his wife and daughter. He is proud of his record (in a computerized database, of course) of different species of birds he has seen. During quiet moments, when he is not writing a research paper or studying for his ornithology class, Dr. Sickles enjoys solving giant jigsaw puzzles, the largest to date consisting of more than 12,000 pieces. During retirement, he looks forward to writing more research papers, expanding his bird-watching experience and learning to cook. Given how well Dr. Sickles does everything in life, it is certain that he will soon become a Cordon Bleu chef!

Dr. Sickles is often teased for being like a rock star because he gets mobbed at meetings such as the Radiological Society of North America; he is asked many questions, and often attendees ask to have their photograph taken with him. Dr. Sickles has been a role model for radiologists and researchers around the world, attracting to the UCSF Breast Imaging Division foreign scholars from places as diverse and distant as Brazil, Korea and Saudi Arabia. Dr. Sickles’ trainees, many of whom are in academic practice, are perhaps his most enduring professional legacy. His former fellows uniformly adore him for his wisdom, humor and unwavering support.

Dr. Sickles is a kind and warm-hearted man, a gentleman and a scholar. He is very much missed by his colleagues and patients, but we are happy that he is now able to enjoy his hobbies and spend more time with his wife Dale, daughter Ellen, son-in-law Scott, and cat Mimi. Dr. Sickles is always welcome at UCSF, where he attends the clinical service on a part-time basis, cares for his patients and teaches and mentors the next generation of residents and fellows.

Contributed by Jessica W.T. Leung, MD