Department of Radiology
General Information
The Department of Radiology provides diagnostic and therapeutic radiology services for patients and families in Iowa and surrounding states. The department is actively involved in research into new diagnostic and treatment modalities, including clinical research projects in most areas of imaging. Of particular note is the advanced heart imaging center, new and sophisticated techniques in cancer imaging, and innovative techniques for imaging and treating patients with vascular disease.
Information and referrals
For consultation or referral, or to obtain information on patients, please call UI Consult toll-free at 1-800-322-8442.
Consultations are facilitated by mailing or faxing pertinent clinical information in advance, if possible. Please direct department and division addressed correspondence to:
Department of Radiology
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242-1077
Fax: 319-356-2220 (monitored weekdays)
Department Head
Laurie L. Fajardo, MD
319-356-3372
laurie-fajardo@uiowa.edu
Divisions
Breast Imaging
Director: Laurie L. Fajardo, MD
The breast imaging and diagnostic center offers a comprehensive evaluation of patients with breast diseases and symptoms using the most advanced technologies and techniques, including:
- breast ultrasound
- galactography
- magnetic resonance imaging
- digital mammography
- percutaneous biopsy, including stereotactic and ultrasound guidance
The mammography center is fully accredited by the Iowa State Department of Public Health and the American College of Radiology.
Body Imaging
Director: David M. Kuehn, MD
Computed Tomography
High-resolution multi-detector CT is offered for diagnostic studies of all parts of the patient’s body, including chest, abdomen, and pelvis. In addition to tailored exams for liver, pancreatic and renal tumors, diagnostic biopsy of lesions with fluoroscopic CT guidance is available. The volumetric acquisition of the CT also allows for three dimensional reconstructions for surgical planning in such settings as oncology and organ transplant. Newer applications such as CT colonography for failed colonoscopy and CT enterography are also available.
Gastrointestinal Radiology
A full range of gastrointestinal fluoroscopic procedures is offered, including double contrast upper and lower gastrointestinal radiography with special studies, such as enteroclysis and defecography.
Genitourinary Radiology
A full range of genitourinary radiologic techniques is offered including intravenous urograms, hysterosalpingography, which is performed in conjunction with the obstetricians, and voiding cystourethrograms
Ultrasound
The ultrasound service offers all non-cardiac patient diagnostic services. All sonographers are RDMS certified and the facility is certified with the American College of Radiology. The highly advanced imaging suite includes color Doppler, cine imaging, and electronic network capabilities.
Body MRI
The Body MRI section performs tailored, state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging of the breast, heart, chest, abdomen, pelvis, prostate, and blood vessels. The MRI center has five 1.5T MRI scanners and a 3T scanner. Studies are performed by experienced MRI technologists and interpreted by subspecialty-trained radiologists. Diagnostic imaging services include:
- tumors of the liver, kidneys, adrenals and pancreas
- pancreaticobiliary tree (MRCP)
- prostate cancer (endorectal coil MRI)
- tumors of the female reproductive system
- adult and congenital heart disease (in conjunction with Cardiology)
- breast cancer, including MR-guided biopsy and needle localization
- MR angiography of peripheral vascular disease and renal artery stenosis
- MR venography of deep venous thrombosis
MRI does not expose patients to harmful radiation and is safe for patients with allergies to x-ray dyes or poor renal function.
Chest and Cardiovascular Radiology
Director: Brad H. Thompson, MD
The chest division deals with all aspects of chest imaging plus all CT and MR cardiovascular imaging. Responsibilities include plain film and digital chest radiography of inpatients and outpatients as well as imaging of the surgical, cardiac, and medical intensive care units. As the online reading center, the division provides coverage for all aspects of outpatient plain film imaging. Facilities include five highly advanced high-resolution multi-detector CT scanners with CT fluoroscopy (real-time imaging) including a new 64 slice MDCT. The division performs thoracic interventional procedures, including biopsies of lung lesions under CT. In conjunction with Cardiology, the division is also actively involved in performing a host of cardiovascular exams with CT including coronary artery calcium measurements, CTA coronary angiography, and functional analysis of heart function.
Interventional Neuroradiology
Director: John C. Chaloupka, MD
The interventional neuroradiology service provides the full spectrum of contemporary and emerging endovascular therapeutic and neuron-interventional techniques related to the interdisciplinary practice of neurosurgery, neurology, otolaryngology, orthopaedic spinal surgery, and vascular surgery. The service is especially focused on:
- intracranial aneurysms
- extracranial and intracranial cerebrovascular occlusive disease
- arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and fistulas (AVFs) of the brain, spine, head & neck, and other organs
- acute thromboembolic stroke
- otolaryngologic tumors and vascular lesions
- image guided intervention of low flow vascular malformations
- minimally invasive interventions for disease of the spinal column
The service has direct patient care responsibilities involving the endovascular surgical approaches to diseases of the brain, spinal cord, head and neck, and spine. These responsibilities include not only a wide spectrum of imaged-guided neuro-interventional and therapeutic procedures, but also outpatient and in-hospital consultations, pre-operative evaluations, and peri-operative adjunctive management of patients. A separate 24 hours/seven days a week call schedule is maintained.
Interventional Radiology
Director: Jafar Golzarian, MD
Interventional radiologists diagnose and treat patients using non-operative technologies and techniques—catheters, guide wires, needles, balloons, stents, and other devices with radiological imaging. These procedures, which may be categorized as vascular (angiography) and non-vascular (e.g., decompression and drainage of obstructed kidneys and bile ducts), are performed in an interventional radiology suite, often on an outpatient basis. Many procedures that were previously performed surgically are now accomplished by an interventional radiologist with less morbidity and a shorter hospital stay. These procedures include:
- balloon angioplasty and stenting
- central venous access
- percutaneous feeding tube placement
- thrombolysis.
Patients undergoing procedures are worked up by the interventional radiology service and followed post-procedure.
Musculoskeletal Radiology
Director: George Y. El-Khoury, MD
In addition to standard bone radiographs, skeletal radiologic services include arthrography of all joints, CT, ultrasound, and MRI as well as radiologically assisted needle aspiration of skeletal lesions. Bone biopsies are performed with either fine needle or core techniques. Epidural and nerve sheath injections of steroids are available for selected cases. Temporomandibular joint imaging is accomplished by MRI. Multi-detector computed tomography is employed with multi-planar or three-dimensional reconstructions for lesions of the peripheral skeleton and spine.
Diagnostic Neuroradiology
Director: Wendy R. K. Smoker, MS, MD, FACR
The diagnostic neuroradiology division offers comprehensive diagnostic imaging of the patient’s brain, spine and spinal cord, and head and neck region using:
- radiography and fluoroscopy
- computed tomography (including CT perfusion studies)
- CT-guided biopsy procedures
- magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (including diffusion/perfusion, spectroscopy, and tractography)
- myelography
- sialography
- non-invasive MR and CT angiography and other three-dimensional imaging techniques
Nuclear Medicine and PET Center
Director: Michael Graham, PhD, MD
The nuclear medicine division offers the full range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures found only at tertiary level medical facilities. Special diagnostic procedures include:
- myocardial perfusion imaging with attenuation correction
- sentinel lymph node imaging performed using a SPECT/CT camera to provide optimal anatomic location
- labeled white cell and plate
- let imaging
- Prostascint prostate cancer Octreoscan neuroendocrine imaging
Cancer imaging procedures are performed using a SPECT/CT camera which provides attenuation correction and physiologic nuclear medicine imaging fused with CT data for optimal tumor localization. Therapeutic procedures include Sr-90 or Sm-153 EDTMP palliative therapy for bone pain due to metastatic cancer, Y-90 Zevalin or I-131 Bexxar for treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Y-90 SIRspheres radiotherapy for liver cancer, radioiodine therapy for overactive thyroid disease, and radioiodine therapy for thyroid cancer including dosimetric methodology applied to provide high dose radioiodine therapy for metastatic thyroid cancer.
The PET Center is equipped with a modern cyclotron and extensive radiochemistry laboratories that routinely provide F-18 FDG and O-15 water radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic imaging procedures. PET imaging studies are performed on the most advanced high sensitivity/high resolution PET/CT scanners. Diagnostic PET procedures include brain perfusion and metabolic imaging, myocardial perfusion and metabolic imaging, and tumor imaging using the PET/CT scanner to provide attenuation corrected tumor physiologic data fused with diagnostic quality CT data for optimal tumor localization.
Nuclear Medicine/ PET Center staff are involved in a range of research activities including:
- anti-tumor radiolabeled proteins for diagnosis and treatment of specific cancers
- radio-immunotherapy for treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- optimization of detection of parathyroid adenomas
- diagnosis of osteomyelitis
- PET brain function and dementia studies
- PET/CT prostate cancer imaging
- PET/CT imaging to monitor the effect of cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy protocols development of new PET radiopharmaceuticals for use in diagnostic cancer imaging.
Pediatric Radiology
Director: Yutaka Sato, MD
The pediatric radiology division offers all dimensions of imaging and interventional procedures for pediatric patients. The staff of five experienced pediatric radiologists includes a pediatric neuro-radiologist. The division also offers subspecialty consultation and accepts direct referrals of children for imaging.
|
