The French Society of Radiology (SFR) has announced that Dr. Alain Rahmouni died suddenly on 26 January. He was a pioneer in cardiac MRI and a driving force in French radiology, noted a tribute posted by the European Society of Radiology (ESR).
Colleagues describe him as a devoted individual with immense talent to promote radiology. He created a school at Henri Mondor University Hospital in Créteil, France, in 1989 after working alongside Dr. Elias Zerhouni at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., and developed a vision of radiology that was widely shared, according to the SFR.
Dr. Alain Rahmouni. Image courtesy of the SFR.Rahmouni, born in 1957, was "curious about everything," said his colleagues at Henri Mondor University Hospital. "He was passionate, passionate because he dedicated his life to better care for the sick. Refusing the unacceptable, convinced that we could always do better in the service of our patients, he directed all his actions and his energy in this direction. And for him, innovation, especially scientific and technological, was at the heart of his determination."
Dr. Robert Lavayssière, staff radiologist and CEO at Centre d'Imagerie Paris-Nord in Sarcelles, France, knew Rahmouni for 35 years, having first met him in Washington, DC, in 1983. He corresponded with Rahmouni by email last Thursday and was due to meet with him on Saturday morning at a meeting about regional healthcare planning, which was canceled out of respect to Rahmouni.
"It is really a loss, he was a true leader in radiology," Lavayssière noted. "He was due to lead the SFR in a few months and was highly respected."
Rahmouni was a very kind man who always paid attention to others, he added. He has good memories of many meetings with Rahmouni, including some discussions they had with Zerhouni at the Henri Mondor Hospital.
"Although Alain and I belonged to different worlds -- i.e., private and public practice -- we nearly always agreed on professional issues," he said. "We had a very good professional relationship."
The ESR also posted the following tribute on its website:
The ESR is shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Dr. Alain Rahmouni on Friday, 26 January. Rahmouni was recognized as a pioneer in the field of MRI, developing cardiac MRI at Henri Mondor Hospital, Créteil, where he was head of the radiology and medical imaging department.
He was a passionate and dedicated doctor, a driving force within French radiology, and a long-time friend and member of the ESR. He will be sorely missed by his many colleagues and friends throughout radiology and far beyond.
He is survived by his wife, Sylvie, and his three daughters, Fanny, Amélie, and Justine.
