UTMB Radiology Main page

UTMB Radiology is characterized by excellent diversity of clinical material and a rich tradition of teaching. Over 200,000 exams are performed annually and these come from the main state hospital, a large Texas Department of Corrections Hospital, a Pediatric Hospital, and the Shriners Burns Hospital. In addition numerous outpatient facilities feed material to the Department.

The Department has been reorganized and this has been performed so as to develop a nucleus of recently trained individuals with focused academic objectives who will lead the Department into the next two decades. Emphasis is on ingenuity, problem solving, teaching, and the development of new knowledge, both clinical and research based. The reorganization also takes into consideration the changing structure of medicine and imaging, for we can no longer afford numerous sub-specialties, and while some will exist, others will need to be enveloped within a more general framework.

Academically the Department continues to develop ideas, perform both clinical and laboratory research which results in a steady flow of scientific papers, exhibits, chapters, and books. Our residents have already performed well in both written and oral Board Examinations.

Delcath Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: DCTH) announced today that the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB), part of the University of Texas System, has joined Delcath's Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of inoperable metastatic melanoma in the liver using the Company's Percutaneous Hepatic Perfusion (PHP) System for the isolated, high-dose delivery of the anti-cancer agent melphalan. UTMB is the sixth center in this multi-center study testing the Delcath System.

Delcath and UTMB have entered into a clinical research agreement to conduct the Phase III National Cancer Institute (NCI) led study. Orhan S. Ozkan, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology and Director of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, will serve as the Principal Investigator of the study. On joining this study, Dr. Ozkan commented, "We are excited about being a part of this clinical trial and being the first center to offer this treatment modality to patients in this region of the US. This treatment offers tremendous promise for patients suffering from metastatic melanoma in the liver, and we are pleased to be able to offer this option to our patients."

See the complete story at: http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0409740.htm

UTMB’s Breast Imaging Suite has been designated a “Center of Excellence” by the American College of Radiology. It is one of two in the Houston/Galveston area with the designation, and one of only eight in Texas. “This honor is the product of very hard work performed by very good people,” said Dr. Gregory Katzman, chairman of the department of radiology. “UTMB radiology is blessed with an integrated breast imaging team that has a real spirit and passion for women’s health.” UTMB’s Breast Imaging Center is now fully accredited in mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy and breast ultrasound.

Registration for the 3rd Annual Medical Imaging Seminar at Sea is under way!

Technologists will be earning up to twelve (12) CE credits by ASRT and TDH while visiting Montego Bay, Cozumel and Grand Cayman Island. Speakers will provide presentations on a variety of modalities in radiologic health sciences while aboard the Carnival Cruise Ship Conquest.

For more information on land and sea seminars please contact Dr. Belinda Escamilla (409) 747-2835.

ARRS has announced the recipients of the 2007 Gold Medal for Distinguished Service, the society’s highest honor. The recipients are Leonard E. Swischuk, MD, of the University of Texas in Galveston; James H. Thrall, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston; and Henry N. Wagner, Jr., MD, of Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, MD. The awards will be presented during the 2007 ARRS Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL, on Wednesday, May 9. Dr. Swischuk is currently professor and chair of radiology and director for the division of pediatric radiology at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Dr. Swischuk has contributed more than 30 manuscripts to the American Journal of Roentgenology and has written more than 22 books/chapters on pediatric radiology. He has received numerous honors and awards throughout his career, including the Texas Radiologic Society Gold Medal, the American Board of Radiology’s Distinguished Service Award, and the Brazilian Congress of Radiology Gold Medal. He will receive the gold medal from the Society for Pediatric Radiology in April 2007 for his contributions to pediatric radiology textbooks, scientific presentations, posters, and teaching.

RSNA Award – Dr. Riascos received the Cum Laude award for his exhibit “Supraclavicular Triangle in the Thoracic Inlet: A Pictorial Review” with Drs. Guinto, Oto, Nishino.

The Department of Radiology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas is offering a one year fellowship position in breast imaging. Fellows in the breast imaging section will receive training in mammography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and interventional procedures. For further information, please click here.

Second year resident Clark Wiggington, M.D., received a grant from RSNA to participate in the 2006 -2007 RSNA/AUR/ARRS Introduction to Research Program.

The Introduction to Research Program, cosponsored by the RSNA, the Association of University Radiologists (AUR), and the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS), introduces residents to research in the second year of their residencies. The program demonstrates the importance of research in diagnostic radiology, illustrates the excitement of research careers, and introduce s residents to successful clinical radiology researchers.

July 2006. Diana Palacio, M.D. – Assistant Professor of Radiology and Section Director of Chest and Cardiac CT Imaging. Dr. Palacio completed fellowship training in CT Body Imaging in 2001 in Colombia. She was previously at UTMB where she completed her fellowship in Pediatric Radiology here 2005. She then went to Wisconsin to complete a fellowship in Thoracic Radiology in 2006 prior to rejoining our Department as Assistant Professor of Radiology where she will now oversee the Section of Chest and Cardiac CT Imaging.

June 2006. Suppiah Balachandran, M.D. – Clinical Professor of Radiology in the Section of Body Imaging. Dr. Balachandran joined our department the first time as an Assistant Professor of Radiology from 1977-1981. He then held positions as an Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Thereafter he was on staff as a Radiologist for the Lancaster Medical Group and High Desert Health System in Lancaster California. In 1991 he rejoined our Department as Associate Professor of Radiology until 1994, thereafter returning to California to work part-time. He rejoins us to help part-time on our Body Imaging Section.

March 2006. Roy Riascos, M.D. – Assistant Professor of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Imaging. Dr. Riascos joined our department in March of 2006 after completing his fellowship in Neuroradiology at Louisiana State University Health Science Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. His additional training in musculoskeletal is an asset to our Musculoskeletal and Teleradiology Sections.

LightSpeed VCT 64-slice Scanner - GE Healthcare
The LightSpeed VCT is the latest innovation in CT technology. VCT means "Volume CT"...ushering in a new era in CT imaging. The innovative hallmark of this non-invasive imaging system is the new V-Res™ detector with its ability to deliver wide anatomical coverage and high resolution, simultaneously. This unprecedented coverage speed allows clinicians to capture whole organs in a second, head to toe in under 10 seconds -- faster than any other CT scanner on the market today. Specifically, the LightSpeed VCT covers 4cm of patient anatomy per rotation, gathering 64 slices at 0.625mm (about the thickness of a credit card). Gantry rotation speed is < 375 milli-seconds...or approximately 2.5 to 3 rotations per second. It comes complete with Xtream™ FX, GE's enhanced productivity solution that keeps your CT suite workflow moving and adds dynamic new reading tools such as Direct MPVR to speed the time to a diagnosis.

The article, 'Revisiting MRI for Appendix Location During Pregnancy', is featured in the March issue of AJR. Dr Srinivasan, is a fourth year radiology resident, authors are: Aytekin Oto, Padmavathia N. Srinivasan, Randy D. Ernst, Mert Koroglu, Fernando Cesani, Thomas Nishino, Gregory Chaljub [Abstract] [PDF] [Figures Only] [Full Text]

The article, 'Rapid CT Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis with IV Contrast Material', is featured in Emergency Radiology, Jan 2006. Sandra Mun, a third year radiology resident, presented the article at RSNA 2005 and is first author.