Cardiac imaging pioneer remembered for his joy and enthusiasm
Former American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) president and well-known echo technology pioneer Roberto M. Lang, MD, of the University of Chicago, died on June 10 after a brief illness. He was 73.
Lang helped develop 3D transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), which are now the standard in cardiac imaging and enable some of the most advanced transcatheter structural heart procedures today.
"Roberto's passing will leave a large hole in all our hearts, a hole that he surely would have imaged in 4D and been the first to describe in medical literature. His legacy and profound impact will live on in all of us," according to this obituary.
Lang was an internationally renowned leader in the field of echocardiography. At echo meetings, attendees would pack into sessions to hear him speak. In smaller hands-on training sessions, he would always take time to share his knowledge and speak with attendees one on one as a dedicated clinical educator. Lang was noted for being a devout mentor to students, fellows and physicians.
"Roberto was a brilliant cardiologist, however his contributions go well beyond his remarkable scientific discoveries. Dr. Lang’s big heart extended to thousands of colleagues and trainees across the globe. His love of humanity and of the individual person was evident and forever changed countless lives. I will miss him dearly," said Neil Weissman, MD, FASE, ASE Foundation Board of Directors chair, MedStar Health, Annapolis, Maryland, said in an ASE statement.
His scientific contributions and achievements will have had a lasting impact on cardiac care worldwide. His groundbreaking work in 3D echo revolutionized the way clinicians visualize and treat heart disease. Without the technology, transcatheter mitral and tricuspid edge-to-edge repair (TEER) procedures with devices like the MitraClip would not be possible. More recently, he had been involved with research on using artificial intelligence (AI) in echocardiography.
Lang was director of the noninvasive cardiac imaging laboratory and the A.J. Carlson Professor of Medicine and Radiology at the University of Chicago, where he has worked since 1985 after completing a fellowship there.
Roberto Lang, MD, University of Chicago, discussing the expanding use of artificial intelligence in cardiac ultrasound during an interview with Cardiovascular Business Digital Editor Dave Fornell during the ASE 2023 meeting. Watch the interview
Lang published more than 700 manuscripts on cardiac imaging and physiology, wrote more than 100 book chapters, authored nearly 900 abstracts and edited 12 books, including ASE’s Comprehensive Echocardiography textbook.
He joined the ASE in 1991 and held a number of leadership positions in almost every facet of the society. He served as the Board of Directors president from 2009-2010 and chaired or co-chaired a large number of ASE committees, task forces, writing groups and editorial boards. In 2015, ASE said he led the international writing group for one of ASE’s most cited guidelines, Recommendations for Cardiac Chamber Quantification by Echocardiography in Adults.
"The depth and breadth of Dr. Lang’s career reach far beyond his personal accomplishments. The way he graciously shared his knowledge and expertise with countless physicians and sonographers from diverse backgrounds and regions across the globe will live on forever. His contagious and joyous enthusiasm, his love for scientific discovery, and his enjoyment at seeing others succeed will be missed by everyone who had the honor of knowing him," the ASE said in a statement.
He was also an active ASE Foundation (ASEF) volunteer and participated in global health outreach events in Mexico, Cuba, and Argentina, as well as virtual events with Vietnam. He was integral to the success of the ASEF-funded World Alliance Societies of Echocardiography (WASE) Normal Values and COVID studies in 2016 and 2020. ASE said Lang was also the driving force behind starting the ASE Foundation’s largest fundraiser every year, the ASEF Research Awards Gala in 2010.
Lang was a fellow in multiple professional societies and has served on the editorial boards of most cardiology peer-reviewed journals, ASE said.
At the time of his passing, he was serving as the Board of Directors president of the National Board of Echocardiography (NBE).
"The NBE Board of Directors is profoundly saddened to announce the passing of our beloved and esteemed President, Roberto M. Lang, MD. Dr. Lang was a visionary leader, a dedicated physician, and a tireless advocate for the advancement of excellence in echocardiography," the NBE wrote in a statement.
Lang earned his medical degree in 1977 from Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires, Argentina. He completed residencies in internal medicine at Tel-Aviv University (1981) and the University of Wisconsin (1983). He completed his fellowship training at the University of Chicago in 1985, and stayed with that institution throughout his career.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Lili, and his children, Gabriel (Lindsey) and Daniella, and two grandchildren, Jacob and Levi.
A funeral service celebrating Lang's life and achievements will be held Sunday, June 15 at 10 a.m. at Shalom Memorial Funeral Home, 1700 W Rand Rd, Arlington Heights, Illinois, in the Chicago suburbs. It will include a livestream video feed.
Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: [email protected]