S. Bobo Tanner, M.D.
Densitrometry society honors Vanderbilt’s Tanner
Vanderbilt's S. Bobo Tanner, M.D., was recently named the Clinician of the Year by the International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) for his distinguished service to the study and practice of bone densitometry, a field that uses bone density measurement to predict, diagnose and treat osteoporosis.
Tanner, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology and the Division of Allergy and Immunology, was recognized at the ISCD's presidential luncheon and annual business meeting in Tampa.
The Clinician of the Year Award plaque is given annually to one physician who is nominated and voted on by the ISCD nominating committee.
A specialist in rheumatology and allergy clinical care, Tanner became involved in bone density testing in 1994 when he observed one of the possible side effects of the steroids he prescribed: osteoporosis. He became a member of the ISCD and took a certification course through the society to read bone density tests. Becoming very involved in the ISCD, Tanner became a course instructor and eventually was named chairman of the Bone Density Course Committee.
He currently serves on the ISCD Board.
Tanner was the first certified bone density specialist at VUMC, and he opened a VUMC osteoporosis clinic in 1996. It is currently open one day a week, but Tanner is hopeful about future expansion.
“Having an award like this plus a big interest at Vanderbilt in bone research will, I think, help Vanderbilt expand into a full service osteoporosis center, which is really the direction we're going in,” Tanner said.
The ISCD is a not-for-profit, multidisciplinary society founded in 1993.
It is dedicated to improving the awareness and quality of bone densitometry in health care, supporting scientific and clinical achievements of the field and increasing patient understanding of and access to bone density testing.