[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 66 (Thursday, April 24, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E715]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR DR. RONALD NUTT

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                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 24, 2008

  Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a Tennessean on his 
70th birthday whose scientific accomplishments have had an incalculable 
impact on the medical community and our Nation.
  In 1969, Dr. Ronald Nutt received a PhD in Electrical Engineering at 
the University of Tennessee. In the nearly 40 years which followed, he 
pioneered technology which has saved countless lives and brought 
distinction to East Tennessee and the University of Tennessee.
  Even those who have never heard of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) 
probably know someone who has been helped by it. PET is a non-invasive 
technique which can map the entire body with molecular imaging.
  Pioneered and internationally marketed by Dr. Nutt, PET is a critical 
tool today in medicine, and the method is widely used in the fields of 
oncology, cardiology, and neurology. PET has saved countless lives by 
innovatively detecting tumors, improving biopsies, and helping to 
determine the stage of a disease. The effect of PET scanning was so 
extraordinary, Dr. Nutt was named Distinguished Scientist of the Year 
in 1999 and received the TIME Magazine Medical Innovation of the Year 
honor in December 2000.
  Dr. Nutt's lifetime of developing this technology has led to many 
other discoveries. He is the holder of dozens of patents in the field 
of electrical engineering, with many more still pending. Prior to his 
work on PET technology, Dr. Nutt took a products business from a single 
employee to a $10 million a year business in the 1980s. Today, he sits 
on the board of directors of several companies and continues to be a 
leader his field.
  Dr. Nutt is not only an example of American ingenuity, but his work 
is also the benchmark for success in his field. His professional 
accomplishments are equal in scope only with his personal character and 
continued devotion to family, community, and many worthy causes.
  Madam Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to join me in 
celebrating the career of Dr. Ronald Nutt on the occasion of his 70th 
birthday. His work is far from over, but his impact is already certain.

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