February 1, 2011 – Burton P. Drayer, M.D., has been elected president of the Board of Directors of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). His presidency was made official at the 96th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Drayer is the Dr. Charles M. and Marilyn Newman Professor and chair of the department of radiology and executive vice-president for risk at The Mount Sinai Medical Center.
As president, Drayer will support advances in education, research, information technology and patient safety.
“My goals for 2011 are to enhance collaboration among radiology and non-radiology societies, as well as to extend the utilization and recognition of the RSNA’s extensive technology platform,” he said. “I hope to accelerate our critically important research agenda and expand the role that the RSNA plays in advancing radiation safety.”
With a focus in neuroradiology, Drayer’s major research interests involve using advanced CT and MRI techniques for the diagnosis of cerebral infarction, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, vascular malformation and brain neoplasm as well as to characterize and quantitate brain iron, perfusion and barrier permeability.
Drayer was editor of Neuroimaging Clinics of North America from 1991 to 2005. He has authored or coauthored nearly 200 journal articles, 41 book chapters, and two books. He is also a sought-after lecturer both nationally and internationally, having given more than 200 invited lectures and speeches.
Drayer's awards and honors include the Cornelius G. Dyke Award from the American Society of Neuroradiology and the Distinguished Service Award from the American Board of Radiology. Drayer is a fellow of both the American College of Radiology (ACR) and American Academy of Neurology, a past-president of the New York Roentgen Society, and presently on the Board of Chancellors of the ACR. He is past-president of the American Society of Neuroradiology (ASNR) and founding member of its Neuroradiology Education and Research Foundation.
“Dr. Drayer’s election as president of such a prestigious professional organization is well-deserved,” said Dennis S. Charney, M.D., Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, executive vice president for academic affairs, The Mount Sinai Medical Center. “Since joining Mount Sinai, he has greatly developed our strengths in radiology. Our leadership in this area is poised to expand further when the Center for Science and Medicine opens next year, providing an additional 30,000 square feet for imaging capabilities at Mount Sinai.”
After receiving his medical degree from Chicago Medical School, Drayer completed a medical internship and neurology residency at the University of Vermont in Burlington. Drayer served his radiology residency followed by a neuroradiology fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He continued onto Duke University Medical Center, where he became professor of radiology and assistant professor of medicine (Neurology). In 1986, he was appointed chairman of the division of neuroimaging research-education at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Ariz., where he remained until 1995, when he joined Mount Sinai.
For more information: www.mountsinai.org
January 28, 2026 
