Neurosurgeon who brought CT, MRI to New York dies at 90

One of the most influential figures in introducing MRI and CT imaging to New York state in the 1970s died March 6, SI Live has reported.

Harvey R. Leventhal died at age 90 after running a successful private practice—now Concord Neurological and Neurosurgical Associates—for decades, according to the obituary. In 1977, he and his team purchased Staten Island’s first CT scan equipment, and one decade later the Concord associates first made MRIs available to Staten Islanders.

For more than 10 years, he was the borough’s only neurosurgeon and on-call 24 hours a day. He retired to Cooperstown, New York, in 2000, where his wife said he was known as the unofficial mayor of the village.

His practice partner, Stephen A. Kulick, MD, said he went above and beyond for his patients, once attending a young patient’s first communion mass after she underwent surgery for the removal of a brain tumor. He said Leventhal sat in the back of the church for the full ceremony to make sure the girl made it through.

“He was a very warm-hearted, conscientious and hard-working physician,” Kulick said. “His patients loved him and appreciated all that he did for them.”

Read more about Leventhal on SI Live: