Abstract
If you are reading a printed copy of this issue of the Journal for Vascular Ultrasound, you may have noticed that a celebratory emblem has been added to the front cover, highlighting that this is Issue 1 of Volume 50. Collectively, we can take pride in our first half-century of existence, and we can reflect on the growth and maturation of both the Journal and the Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU).
The history of the Journal for Vascular Ultrasound was recounted in a 2024 letter from the editor, noting that the publication started as a newsletter called BRUIT in 1977. 1 This was succeeded in 1987 by a more formal scientific journal, the Journal of Vascular Technology, and the Society of Non-Invasive Vascular Technology (SNIVT) became the Society of Vascular Technology (SVT) in 1988. When the SVT rebranded as the SVU in 2002, it launched a new journal, our current publication. Thus, this is the 50th year of continuous publication of content by and for vascular laboratory professionals.
Major events in 1977 included the release of the first Star Wars movie, the death of Elvis Presley, and the launch of the Apple II personal computer. It was not until 1983, however, that Microsoft first released a program it called “Multi-Tool Word,” a software product that we now know as Word. Not long after, in 1985, the concept of “desktop publishing” was introduced for the new Apple Macintosh computer with novel software (Aldus PageMaker), and Apple’s LaserWriter printer.
In 1977, creating publications required specialized, expensive typesetting machinery (not conducive to “in-office” production). The image of page one of Issue 1 of BRUIT shows that it was typical of the pre-digital age (see supplemental material). Text was produced on typewriters. Headings and clip art were added physically. Layouts were pasted together. Reproduction might have been by printing on an offset press or, less common at that time, by a photocopier.
Much has changed as the Journal has evolved. All steps of content submission, editorial review, and production, except the actual printing and mailing, are digital. Many readers now prefer online access in a convenient E-Pub, making the entire process paperless.
While much has changed, it is noteworthy that the content and themes in that first issue of BRUIT are familiar to today’s readers of the Journal for Vascular Ultrasound.
The Importance and Relevance of an Organization for Vascular Laboratory Professionals
The first item in the first issue of BRUIT was a letter to the members from the President of the organization, Barton Bean. He touted the importance of the work being done by vascular technologists, the relevance of promoting the profession, and the need to engage newcomers to the field.
History of the Organization
BRUIT reported the earliest activities of the nascent professional society. The first meeting of vascular technologists to discuss establishing the organization was held at the fourth Annual San Diego Vascular Symposium in March 1977. That Symposium was a scholarly event that brought together luminaries in vascular surgery, vascular medicine, and non-invasive vascular testing. The venue was a popular, sprawling bungalow-style resort located on an island in Mission Bay, San Diego, that was renowned for its tropical, “Gilligan’s Island” theme, thatched roofs, lava rock walls, and a tiki bar (a popular spot for hotel guests). With the assemblage of experts where interactions included formal scientific presentations, discussions of current practices, and informal conversations about how to advance the field of vascular testing, it is easy to imagine the circumstances were ideal for the creation of the organization.
Of note, this meeting pre-dated the clinical use of duplex ultrasound scanning. Plethysmographic methods (ocular pneumoplethysmography, venous outflow plethysmography, and impedance plethysmography), continuous wave (CW) Doppler, ankle/brachial indices, and velocity waveform analysis were the predominant non-invasive tools of the era. 2 Thus, the Society of Noninvasive Vascular Technology was the original name for the organization.
The founding members of the SNIVT who participated in the March 1977 meeting included two individuals who went on to serve as presidents of the organization, Bart Bean and Valerie Crain. Others who took part included Donna Blackburn, Mitzi (Clark) Ekers, Andrew Hayes, Mike McLoy, Cindy Ramirez-Matyi, and Victor Wedel.
It was during the 1970s that duplex ultrasound scanning was being developed by a team of physicians and engineers at the University of Washington, led by Dr D. Eugene Strandness, Jr and engineer Don Baker. Advanced Technology Laboratories (ATL) established a technology transfer agreement with the University of Washington in 1974, and the ATL Mark V, which debuted in 1978, was the first commercial system with pulsed-Doppler and B-mode imaging combined in a single instrument. Dr Strandness was part of that 1977 San Diego Vascular Symposium faculty. Other physician faculty who were vascular laboratory pioneers and early advocates included Eugene F. Bernstein, Robert W. Barnes, John J. Cranley, Arnost Fronek, William Gee, Mark M. Kartchner, Lorin P. McRae, David S. Sumner, H. Brownell Wheeler, and James S. T. Yao.
Collaboration
As noted, the first steps to organize what would become the SVU occurred in an inter-professional setting.
The first BRUIT issue announced the plan for the inaugural annual meeting of the Society of Noninvasive Vascular Technology to be held concurrently with the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) in June 1978. The precedence of collaborative meetings started in year one. By the mid-1980s, the joint meeting structure had become the primary annual gathering for the vascular community.
The editorial team looks forward to sharing more “blasts from the past” upcoming issues of Volume 50 of the Journal.
Page one of Volume 1, Issue number 1
Supplemental Material
sj-pdf-1-jvu-10.1177_15443167261454444 – Supplemental material for The Journal for Vascular Ultrasound: Our Fiftieth Year
Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-jvu-10.1177_15443167261454444 for The Journal for Vascular Ultrasound: Our Fiftieth Year by David L. Dawson in Journal for Vascular Ultrasound
Footnotes
Supplemental Material
Supplemental material for this article is available online.
References
Supplementary Material
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