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Weblog of the Department of Radiology
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NCI's In-Vivo Imaging Informatics Working Group (IVI-WG) Comes to Stanford (9/9 & 9/10)
The cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG) Imaging Workspace will be hosting its fall 2008 "Face-to-Face Meeting" at Stanford University this coming September 9th & 10th. Daniel Rubin, MD, MS, incoming assistant professor of radiology, is one of the leaders of the activities within the caBIG Imaging Workspace. He arranged to host this year's annual meeting at Stanford for the purpose of familiarizing members of the Radiology Department and the Cancer Center with the projects and opportunities provided by caBIG, which will enable translational research and clinical care.
The caBIG Program or "cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid" is an initiative by the National Cancer Institute designed to use grid computing to interconnect clinical cancer centers nationally via common protocols, standards, and commonly adopted free and open source software. The ultimate goal of this project is to increase the availability of online data from cancer centers and other facilities across the world using grid technology. This will permit researchers and clinicians to personalize the care of cancer patients and make targeted treatment decisions by providing them with access to their patients' DNA make-up; tumor DNA and proteomic data; pharmacokinetic data; and anatomic and functional imaging data.
The Imaging Workspace includes nationally-recognized participants engaged in cutting-edge imaging informatics work and is just one of several workspaces that composes the caBIG Program. In the two years since its inception, this Workspace has focused on the development of tools for standardization and interoperability; the annotation of images to enable data mining in massive image databases; and the integration of images with molecular and clinical data. The Imaging Workspace has recently begun to leverage these development efforts to promote adoption activities.
The upcoming "Face-to-Face Meeting" will provide attendees the opportunity to become familiar with the Workspace's tools during an "Open Floor Tool Demos" session, which will allow participants to use the tools and ask the application development teams any questions they may have about them. Additional topics of discussion include strategic planning for future Workspace projects; the prioritizing of external collaboration opportunities; and the steps the Imaging Workspace intends to take to harmonize its efforts with other workspaces in order to fully leverage the caBIG Program's resources to impact patient outcomes positively.
2008 Resident and Fellow Graduations!
Resident/Visting Fellow (left) and Body Fellow (right) Graduation Dinners
(Images courtesy of Sandip Biswal, MD, and Aya Kamaya, MD)
Congratulations to all of our residents and fellows who graduated this summer 2008! The graduation dinner for residents and visiting fellows was held on Saturday, June 14th, at the Grove Ballroom of the Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto. To view more pictures, please access: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29982130@N00/sets/72157605689133643/.
The below pictures are from the body fellow graduation dinner, which was held on Thursday, June 12th, at the Mandarin Gourmet Restaurant.
Announcements: August 11, 2008
Radiology Potluck Picnic for all SHC and SOM Radiology Staff: Saturday, August 16, 2008, noon to dusk at Flood Park (Maple Picnic Area) 215 Bay Road, Menlo Park, CA (please see directions below). There will be two large grills at the park for our convenience and charcoal will be provided. Park facilities include a playground, softball field, volleyball courts, and a sand box for playing horse shoes. For more information, please contact Yvonne Casillas at YCasillas@stanfordmed.org.
Japanese Society of Radiological Technologists Visits Stanford
(Image courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)
By Mike Moseley, PhD
From July 21-25, Stanford Radiology held its third annual Japanese Technologist Summer Training Program. We have developed this joint educational program in partnership with the Japanese Society of Radiological Technologists (JSRT). As in previous years, we had 24 JSRT participants visit for the week, with technical lectures in the morning; tours and workshops in the afternoon; and social activities such as Giants baseball, jazz concerts, shopping, and tennis in the evenings. The lectures were well received (many thanks to everyone who participated!). The highlight of the week was the reception at the new Stanford Medicine Imaging Center, Palo Alto, which gave the JSRT members an opportunity to meet and speak with many of our technologists. The Summer Training Program is a great way to introduce ourselves to the international radiology community, while building strong collaborations and more efficient practices in radiology worldwide. Many thanks again to everyone who spent so much time and effort to make this an ongoing success.
Stanford-UCSF Softball Challenge
By Terry Desser, MD
(Images courtesy of Sandip Biswal, MD; for more game pictures, please access http://www.flickr.com/photos/29982130@N00/sets/72157606428777778/show/.)
Sporting their newly minted "UCSF Rads/Margulis '08" uniforms, the Radiology residents, faculty, and fellows of UCSF trekked down the Peninsula at 10 AM on Saturday, July 19th, to battle Stanford Radiology on the softball field in El Camino Park, opposite the shopping center. But within one inning it was clear that the UC gang's travels had merely taken them from the San Francisco summer fog into the sunlit glare of crushing defeat. With power hitting and outstanding fielding, we trounced our northern rivals by the footballish score of 32-8 in seven innings.
Stanford's forces were led by Pat Basu, who ruled in center field and drove in several Stanford runs. The southpaw power hitting duo of Erik Bekkers and Jared Narvid accounted for a dozen or more runs between them. Andy McBride stole the show in left field, robbing UC of many RBI opportunities and unfurling a dead-on-target throw from deep left-center all the way to home plate.
Residents Riaz Dhanani, David Wang, and Albert Hsiao made key contributions at the plate to the day's blow-out. Neuro Fellow Cam Tran was lured from the basketball court to anchor the infield at shortstop, and joined fellow fellows Stefan Hura (winning pitcher) and Ivan Petrovich in the day's RBI derby.
Not to be outdone, the ladies contingent of Julie Ruiz, Amy White, and Karen's daughters, Layne and Drew, accounted for several key infield outs and scored as many runs as the whole UC team combined. Even our faculty photographer, Sandip Biswal, scored a run in his cameo appearance at the plate, and Ray Hsu flew in from Hawaii to join in today's rout. UCSF alum Peter Moskowitz, donning layered UCSF and Stanford-themed rubgy shirts, insured neutrality by serving as the jovial first base umpire.
Despite the lopsided score, everyone from Dr. Ron Aronson (UC's chair) to ex-Stanford MS, now UC resident Sharon Kwan had a good time. Stanford hosted the event and UC provided a catered Mexican lunch. At game's end, Sharon presented the coveted softball trophy to Stefan and Pat, and we all decided we should do this again (but UC is thinking maybe a different sport would be better).
Thanks to all of you who came and showed your support for our team!
The Movie Sequence at Lucas Presents Ladri di Biciclette (1948)
Wednesday, August 6th, at 6 PM, the Movie Sequence at Lucas presents Ladri di Biciclette (1948) in the Lucas Learning Center. Ladri di Biciclette was directed by Vittorio De Sica and is set in post-World War II Rome. For a movie summary/review, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladri_di_biciclette. The movie is in Italian with English subtitles, so bring your glasses if you need them to read the screen. Chardonnay will provide snacks, drinks, glasses, and plates. If you like, please also bring something to snack on and/or something to share. If you have questions, please contact Erika Rubesova, MD; Chardonnay Vance, MS; or Ulrich Willi, MD.
The Movie Sequence takes place every first and third Wednesday of the month at 6 PM (the film will play at 6:15 PM) in the Lucas Learning Center as a private event and free of charge. Black and white classics of various cultural backgrounds will be shown. Everyone is very welcome.
For the Movie Sequence online calendar, please visit
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=movie.sequence%40gmail.com&ctz=A.
Announcements: July 29, 2008
JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge: Wednesday, September 17, 2008, at 6:45 PM at Crissy Field Presidio in San Francisco. The 24th running of San Francisco's JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge is this September and provides an opportunity for companies to put together teams with a minimum of four members and no maximum number. To participate in this 3.5 mile run/walk, you must be part of a corporate team. If you are interested in forming a team from Stanford, please contact Paul Richardson, financial analyst in the SoM Blood and Marrow Transplantation Division, at (650) 725-1745 or paulr77@stanford.edu. For each participant who enters the Corporate Challenge, JP Morgan will make a donation to YMCA's Claire Lilienthal Learning Academy, a Presidio Community YMCA program that provides a safe space for learning for each student attending Claire Lilienthal Alternative School.
Last year, there were 5,340 runners and walkers who completed the 3.5 mile course from 233 companies. A total of 15 companies (5 from the men's division; 5 from the women's division; and 5 from the mixed divisions) will be invited to compete in the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge Championship, on Saturday, October 4th, in New York City.
Stanford University Graduation 2008!
(Images courtesy of Aya Kamaya, MD)
On Sunday, June 15th, several of our radiology faculty (Drs. Gabi Gayer, Aya Kamaya, Justus Roos, and Geoff Rubin), along with Dr. Neetu Ahluwalia from Anesthesia, marched in Stanford University's 117th commencement ceremony in which Oprah Winfrey served as the commencement speaker. In front of 4,666 graduates and a crowd of 25,000, she delivered a 30-minute commencement address centered on "three lessons" dealing "with feelings, with failure, and with finding happiness" that have had the greatest influence over her life. To read the transcript of her address, please access http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2008/june18/como-061808.html.
The breakdown of degrees for Stanford's Class of 2008 was as follows: 1,702 bachelor's degrees; 49 dual bachelor's degrees; 134 combined bachelor's and master's degrees; 2,017 master's degrees; and 947 doctoral degrees. Of the undergraduates, 90 graduated with multiple majors, and 407 completed minors. In terms of awards and honors, 340 undergraduates received departmental honors and 268 graduated with distinction. 83 of the undergraduates were from 37 different countries, and 940 of the graduate students came from 76 different countries (see "O in '08" by Adam Gorlick http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2008/june18/com-061808.html).
Awards and Honors: July 25, 2008
Samuel Mazin, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Radiological Sciences Lab, has been named a JP and Danyele Garnier Fellow for his outstanding contributions to the Stanford Graduate School of Business Summer Institute for Entrepreneurship Program. The fellowship was established by GlaxoSmithKline in honor of former CEO Jean-Pierre Garnier. Only 5 out of 72 participants are given this honor, which is awarded for "exemplary performance throughout the program which greatly enhanced the experience for all who participated--students and faculty--as well as the anticipated impact the individual will have as they move forward in their career." Dr. Mazin's current research focuses on inverse geometry CT as well as improving CT imaging for people with metal implants. For Dr. Mazin's earlier award posting, please see Awards and Honors: March-April 2007.
Stanford Radiology Welcomes New National Cancer Institute (NCI) Fellow, Dr. Moses Darpolor
Moses Darpolor, PhD, is a new postdoctoral scholar in the NCI-funded Advanced Techniques for Cancer Imaging and Detection Program who joined our Department in June of 2008. His research interests include developing and applying multi-parametric magnetic resonance and multimodality imaging techniques to monitor and optimize treatment planning in oncology. Dr. Darpolor's ultimate goal is to provide a catalyst for translational research that can expedite interventions in oncology to improve patient survivorship. Prior to coming to Stanford, he was a research fellow in medical physics at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Dr. Darpolor earned a PhD in functional imaging from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Marquette University and Medical College of Wisconsin. His past awards include a Department of Education Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowship as well as an International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) Educational Stipend. Dr. Darpolor's hobbies include soccer, weight lifting, basketball, cooking, and hiking/long walks, as well as going to movies and clubs.
Awards and Honors II: July 18, 2008
Guillem Pratx, PhD, doctoral candidate in electrical engineering and member of the Molecular Imaging Instrumentation Laboratory, was awarded a Travel Award to attend the 2008 Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) Annual Meeting to present two papers: "Fast Maximum-Likelihood Image Reconstruction without a Line Search via PCG" and "Maximum a Posteriori Event Positioning in High-Resolution PET CZT Detectors." The purpose of the SNM Travel Awards is to provide support to nuclear medicine students for presenting innovative work at the SNM Annual Meeting. Mr. Pratx completed his undergraduate work in engineering at the Ecole Centrale in Paris, France. In the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), he is completing his dissertation research, which centers on the development of practical algorithms that exploit graphics processing units (GPU) for fast medical image reconstruction in ultra-high resolution PET systems under development at Stanford. For more details regarding his biography, please see Mr. Pratx's earlier award postings by accessing "Awards and Honors: August 2, 2007" and "Awards and Honors: December 17, 2007."
Awards and Honors I: July 18, 2008
Qizhen Cao, PhD, postdoctoral scholar in the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory, has received a two-year postdoctoral fellowship from the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) for her work on alpha7-nAChR targeted imaging and therapy of lung cancer. Dr. Cao received her PhD in molecular and immunological pharmacology from the Peking University Health Science Center in China, where she specialized in tumor angiogenesis and anti-angiogenesis therapy. In 2005, she joined Dr. Shawn Chen's laboratory, where she develops molecular imaging probes for the treatment monitoring and target therapy of tumor angiogenesis.
Awards and Honors III: July 17, 2008
Zibo Li, PhD, former postdoctoral scholar in the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory (MIPL) and current senior scientist at Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., has received a Travel Award to attend the 55th Society of Nuclear Medicine Annual Meeting. The purpose of the SNM Travel Awards is to provide support to nuclear medicine students for presenting innovative work at the SNM Annual Meeting. While at Stanford, Dr. Li's research focused on the development of novel tracers (peptides, proteins, growth factors, antibodies, and antibody fragments-based) for near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence, MRI, SPECT, and PET imaging of small animal tumor xenografts and, potentially, of cancer patients. For Dr. Li's prior blog award announcements, please access "Awards and Honors: June 15, 2007" and "Awards and Honors: February 5, 2008."
Awards and Honors II: July 17, 2008
Yingbing Wang, MD, recently graduated medical student from the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab, has been selected as the winner of the 2008 Department of Radiology Norman Blank Award for the outstanding medical student in radiology. The award was created in memory of longtime faculty member and Director of Admissions Norman Blank, MD. While at Stanford, Dr. Wang's research interests included the use of integrated fluorine-18-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in managing lymphoma. In the fall, she will begin an internship in internal medicine at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Santa Clara, which will be followed by a residency in radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Wang's favorite hobbies include eating Krispy Kreme donuts and watching action movies.
Awards and Honors I: July 17, 2008
Kai Chen, PhD, research associate in the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory, was awarded a third place Society of Nuclear Medicine Young Professionals Committee (YPC) Best Basic Science Award at the 2008 Annual Convention of the Society of Nuclear Medicine. Dr. Chen received his PhD in biophysics from Peking University in Beijing, China. Prior to coming to Stanford, he first served as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and then at the Sealy Center for Cancer Cell Biology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. At Stanford, Dr. Chen's research interests include molecular imaging and cancer cell biology. Outside the lab, he enjoys traveling, reading, swimming, and playing "Go" as well as chess.
The Movie Sequence at Lucas Presents Casablanca (1942)
This Wednesday, July 16th, at 6 PM, the Movie Sequence at Lucas presents Casablanca (1942) in the Lucas Learning Center. Casablanca was directed by Michael Curtiz and is set in the Moroccan city of Casablanca during World War II. For a movie summary/review, please see Wikipedia. Chardonnay will provide snacks, drinks, glasses, and plates. If you like, please also bring something to snack on and/or something to share. If you have questions, please contact Erika Rubesova, MD; Chardonnay Vance, MS; or Ulrich Willi, MD.
The Movie Sequence takes place every first and third Wednesday of the month at 6 PM (the film will play at 6:15 PM) in the Lucas Learning Center as a private event and free of charge. Black and white classics of various cultural backgrounds will be shown. Everyone is very welcome.
For the Movie Sequence online calendar, please visit
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=movie.sequence%40gmail.com&ctz=A.
Awards and Honors II: July 15, 2008
Chief Resident Pat Auveek Basu, MD, MBA, has received the J.T. Rutherford Government Relations Fellowship from the American College of Radiology (ACR). Dr. Basu is the first Stanford recipient to receive the fellowship and one of six applicants selected nationally. Founded in 1993, the Fellowship was named after J.T. Rutherford, the first lobbyist of the ACR. By meeting with congressional members as well as representatives of federal regulatory agencies in Washington D.C., Fellows will be exposed to the state and federal legislative and regulatory processes that directly affect the future of radiology. During the one-week fellowship program, Dr. Basu will also attend seminars on the governmental process and its impact on the radiological profession as well as learn about the ACR's Governmental Relations Division and other congressional activities.
Dr. Basu currently serves as a member of Stanford's Graduate Medical Education Committee and as course director of the "Health Economics, Finance, and Policy" course offered to Stanford physicians and medical students. He has been invited to speak both nationally and internationally regarding issues of healthcare policy and finance. Prior to coming to Stanford, Dr. Basu served as chief resident during his transitional year at Resurrection Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Basu graduated with honors from the University of Chicago, where he received his MD and MBA. During this time, he was elected president of his business school cohort and the Dean's Council representative of his medical school class. Dr. Basu earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois, where he was elected to the University's Senate and Homecoming Court. When he is not working, Dr. Basu loves to play a variety of sports, and he is a die-hard fan of the Chicago Cubs, Bulls, Bears, and Illinois Fighting Illini.
For prior blog entries regarding Dr. Basu's awards and honors, please access the following postings: Awards and Honors: February 2007; Awards and Honors: August 13, 2007; and "Our New Chief Residents for 2008-2009."
Dr. Kuo Honors His Patients in the LiveStrong Challenge
Along with 3,000 other people including Lance Armstrong, Dr. Will Kuo participated in the San Jose LiveStrong Challenge on Sunday, July 13th. Participants biked, ran, or walked 10 to 100 miles on a course beginning in downtown San Jose continuing to Coyote Valley and looping back through the east foothills. Entrants completed the course not only to raise money for the Foundation ($1.5 million to be exact), but to honor those who struggle and have struggled with cancer. A recent San Jose Mercury News article, "Cancer Only Loser in LiveStrong Race" by Sharon Noguchi, highlighted Dr. Kuo's efforts to honor his patients: "For health care providers as well, the race offered a salve and a sense of helping to ease the suffering caused by cancer, which afflicts 12 million Americans. William Kuo, a Stanford Hospital radiologist, bicycled with a card honoring his patients." To read the full article, please click here: "Cancer Only Loser in LiveStrong Race."
Awards and Honors I: July 15, 2008
Andrei Iagaru, MD, instructor of nuclear medicine, has received the following honors: Alavi-Mandell Award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine; two "Best Essay Awards" at the 2008 American College of Nuclear Physicians (ACNP) Annual Meeting; and featured research in both the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) News Highlights and AuntMinnie.com. The Alavi-Mandell Award is bestowed upon nuclear medicine residents and trainees who publish scientific articles as senior authors in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Dr. Iagaru won this award for his paper entitled "Treatment of Thyrotoxicosis," which is published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine 2007;48(3):379-89. At the ACNP Annual Meeting, Dr. Iagaru received "Best Essay Awards" for "131I-Tositumomab (Bexxar) vs. 90Y-Ibritumomab (Zevalin) in Refractory/Relapsed Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma" and "18F FDG PET/CT in Head and Neck Cancers: What is the Definition of Whole-Body Scanning?" His research is also featured in the 2008 RSNA News Highlights, "PET/CT Effective at Identifying Cervical Cancers, Research Suggests." Most recently, Dr. Iagaru's work appeared twice in AuntMinne.com: "MRI and FDG-PET/CT Recommended for Advanced Breast Cancer" and "PET/CT Shows Its Worth in Cervical Carcinoma."
Dr. Iagaru completed medical school at the Carol Davila University of Medicine, Bucharest, Romania, and an internship at Drexel University College of Medicine, Graduate Hospital, in the Department of Medicine. He began his residency at the University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, in the Division of Nuclear Medicine, where he was the chief resident. He finished his residency and completed a PET/CT fellowship at Stanford University's School of Medicine in the Division of Nuclear Medicine. His research interests include whole-body MRI and F-18 PET in osseous metastases detection; the comparison of Zevalin/Bexxar therapy; the optical imaging of breast cancer; and PET-CT imaging for thyroid/breast cancer, melanoma, lymphoma, and sarcoma. In addition to the above awards, Dr. Iagaru has also been selected as the 2008 Clinician Educator of the Year by the Stanford Radiology Residency Program.
Awards and Honors: July 14, 2008
Hui Wang, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar in the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory (MIPL), has been awarded first place from the Society of Nuclear Medicine's Molecular Imaging Center of Excellence for her molecular imaging abstract entitled, "Trafficking the Fate of Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Vivo." Prior to coming to Stanford, Dr. Wang was a postdoctoral fellow at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Dalian, China) where she researched the design and synthesis of p450 enzymes in the Pichia pastoris system. She received her PhD degree for her work in tumor neovasculature targeted TNF at the Fourth Military Medical University in Xi'an, China. At Stanford, her research focuses on the design, synthesis, and characterization of protein probes for molecular imaging; the ex vivo evolution of VEGF121 protein; the site-specific labeling of tagged proteins; and the trafficking of mesenchymal stem cells by bioluminescence imaging. When Dr. Wang is not working, she enjoys hiking, swimming, and spending time with her family.
Awards and Honors II: July 11, 2008
Zhaofei (Jeff) Liu, a visiting researcher in the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory, has been selected for the 2008 Berson-Yalow Award for his abstract, "Analyzing the Recognition Sites of RGD Peptide on U87MG Tumor Cell Using a Competition Binding Assay." Developed by the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM), the Berson-Yalow Award is given to investigators with the most original scientific abstracts who make the most significant contributions to basic or clinical radioassay. Mr. Liu is also a fourth-year PhD candidate at Peking University in Beijing, China, where he studies biophysics. After receiving a joint training scholarship to study at Stanford for one year from the China Scholarship Council (CSC), Mr. Liu took a one-year leave from his PhD program to pursue his research interests in molecular imaging, molecular and cell biology, and immunology under the guidance of Dr. Xiaoyuan Chen in the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory. Mr. Liu has also received a Travel Award for the 55th Society of Nuclear Medicine Annual Meeting.
Awards and Honors I: July 11, 2008
John MacKenzie, MD, MS (on left), assistant professor of pediatric radiology and chief of pediatric musculoskeletal imaging at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH), and Dr. Shreyas Vasanawala (on right), assistant professor of radiology as well as director of body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and co-director of MRI at LPCH, have received a Research and Education Foundation Seed Grant from the Society for Pediatric Radiology for their project entitled "Evaluation of Pediatric Diseases with Hyperpolarized Carbon-13 Magnetic Resonance Imaging." The purpose of their research is to investigate molecular imaging as a new diagnostic tool for childhood disorders. Drs. MacKenzie and Vasanawala will test the feasibility of magnetic resonance imaging using hyperpolarized carbon-13 for the diagnosis and monitoring of childhood musculoskeletal and liver disease.
Dr. MacKenzie's other research interests include molecular imaging applications for bone and joint disorders. Dr. Vasanawala is developing new MRI techniques for body imaging by increasing the speed of MRI and developing novel MR methods for probing metabolism. For more biographical information, please access earlier blog postings on Dr. MacKenzie and Dr. Vasanawala.
Awards and Honors: July 9, 2008
Zongjin Li, PhD, MD, postdoctoral scholar in the Cardiovascular Gene and Cell Therapy Laboratory, is the recipient of five honors: a Travel Award to attend the 2008 International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Annual Meeting; an American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF)/Bristol-Myers Squibb Travel Award from the American College of Cardiology; a finalist for the Young Investigators Awards Competition of the American College of Cardiology; an honorable mention in the Young Investigator of the Year Award Competition from the Stanford University School of Medicine Cardiovascular Institute; and a Mitzi and William Blahd, MD, Pilot Research Grant. Sponsored by the Education and Research Foundation for the Society of Nuclear Medicine, the Mitzi and William Blahd, MD, Pilot Research Grant is designed to support innovative ideas in clinical and basic research and is awarded to the highest-ranked proposal.
Dr. Li received his PhD degree from Peking Union Medical College in Beijing, China, and his MD degree from the Norman Bethune University of Medical Sciences in Changchun, China. At the Rizhao Hygiene College in China, he completed both his internship and residency in internal medicine and served as an attending physician in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine. In September of 2005, Dr. Li joined Dr. Wu's Cardiovascular Gene and Cell Therapy Laboratory, where he researches the molecular imaging of stem cells for cardiovascular applications.
The Movie Sequence at Lucas Presents Grande Illusion (1937) or The Shop on Main Street (1965)
This Wednesday, July 9th, at 6 PM in the Lucas Learning Center, the Movie Sequence at Lucas presents Grande Illusion or The Shop on the Main Street, depending on which is available. Grande Illusion was by directed by Jean Renoir while The Shop on Main Street was directed by Jan Kadar and Elmar Klos. For a movie summary/review, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Grande_Illusion or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shop_on_Main_Street. If you like, please bring something to snack on and/or something to share. Also, both movies have English subtitles, so bring your glasses if you need them to read the screen. If you have questions, please contact Erika Rubesova, MD; Chardonnay Vance, MS; or Ulrich Willi, MD.
The Movie Sequence takes place every first and third Wednesday of the month at 6 PM (the film will play at 6:15 PM) in the Lucas Learning Center as a private event and free of charge. Black and white classics of various cultural backgrounds will be shown. Everyone is very welcome.
For the Movie Sequence online calendar, please visit
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=movie.sequence%40gmail.com&ctz=A.
Awards and Honors: July 8, 2008
Adam de la Zerda, PhD student in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Laboratory (MMIL), has won two awards in support of his PhD progress: the Bio-X Graduate Student Fellowship and the Department of Defense (DOD) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Predoctoral Traineeship Award. The Bio-X Graduate Student Fellowship is intended to support graduate students training in the interdisciplinary biosciences, creating new advances in science and engineering. The fellowship is awarded to promising graduate students based on their talent, potential, and commitment to research. The Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) Predoctoral Traineeship Award supports the training of graduate students studying towards careers in breast cancer research. Mentored by Dr. Gambhir, Mr. de la Zerda researches photoacoustic molecular imaging and its broad applications for breast cancer. He holds a number of publications and patents and is also a professional reviewer for Nature Nanotechnology and Medical Physics.
Prior to coming to Stanford, Mr. de la Zerda received his BScs in computer science, electrical engineering, and physics from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel. For Mr. de la Zerda's prior award announcement regarding the Bay Area Entrepreneurship Contest, please access
http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/06/awards_and_hono_6.html.
Awards and Honors: July 3, 2008
Priti Balchandani, PhD, postdoctoral scholar in the Radiological Sciences Laboratory (RSL), was a finalist for the I.I. Rabi Young Investigator Award at the 2008 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) Annual Meeting. Named after Nobel Laureate Isidor I. Rabi, the Rabi Award honors "achievements in basic scientific research, especially focusing on novel technical developments." Out of the 38 abstracts on basic research, Dr. Balchandani's abstract was 1 of 3 chosen as a finalist. Her abstract featured her research in adiabatic RF pulse design. Along with her colleagues, Dr. Balchandani has developed the slice-selective tunable-flip adiabatic low peak-power excitation (STABLE) pulse. To read more about her award and research, please access "Young Investigator Awards Add Luster to MRI's Scientific Stars" featured online in the "Diagnostic Imaging ISMRM Conference Reporter." Dr. Balchandani's research interests include the development of high-field MR anatomic and spectroscopic imaging tools and novel RF pulse design for positive-contrast imaging of cells labeled with SPIO nanoparticles and sodium imaging of the brain at 7T.
Dr. Balchandani received her BS in computer engineering from the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada, and completed her MS and PhD in electrical engineering at Stanford.
Welcome New Residents
By Teresa Newton
The Radiology Department is pleased to welcome our new first-year residents, who will begin on July 1st. We are also excited to announce the additions of Chivonne Harrigal, MD, and Bao Do, MD. Chivonne will be entering our second-year resident class, starting on July 1st. Bao has already joined our current second-year resident class and, on July 1st, will begin his third year of residency.
Our first-year residents are
Stacey Crawford Keel, MD, MBA
Albert Hsiao, MD, PhD
Michael Kim, MD
Deborah Lee Abelson, MD
Jared Narvid, MD
Srihari Sampath, MD, PhD, MPhil
Srinath Sampath, MD, PhD, MPhil
Anobel Tamrazi, MD, PhD
Amy White, MD
(For additional information on our new first-year residents, please see "Match Day, March 15, 2007")
Please join us in warmly welcoming our new residents, and lending a hand to help them feel at home here at Stanford.
To read their biographies and view their photos, please click on the link below.
Stacey Crawford Keel, MD, MBA
Stacey comes to us from Ohio, where her father is a radiologist, which may have sparked her interest in this field. After a successful career at Northwestern, she completed her medical education at Dartmouth Medical School while simultaneously pursuing her MBA at the Tuck School of Business. She plans to pursue a career influencing medical education by integrating the organizational behavior and general management skills of the MBA into the curriculum for physicians-in-training. In her free time, she indulges in her love of animals by volunteering at her local humane society, as well as taking care of her own dog and two cats. She is a big fan of outdoor sports and enjoys traveling, especially to visit her extended family.
Bao Do, MD
Bao comes from the University of Iowa but grew up in Silicon Valley, where he was heavily influenced by technology. However, he chose to study biochemistry and economics at the University of California, Davis, over electrical engineering and computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, because the last thing he wanted to do was sit in front of a computer all day. Alas, fate has caught up to Bao as he pursues radiology. Ironically, he is currently developing a "negation" search algorithm with his friend Andrew Wu that explicitly finds the exact opposite of what a user wants. Bao's other interests include web programming, the NBA, and sushi. Bao will be joining our third-year class in July.
Chivonne Harrigal, MD
Chivonne was born in New Orleans and also grew up in Bakersfield, Denver, and Dallas. She earned her BS and MD degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. She began her residency at the University of Arizona, but she is transferring to our program to complete it. Chivonne will join us July 1, 2008, as a second-year resident. When she has time, she pursues her interests in running, scuba diving, cooking, and traveling.
Albert Hsiao, MD, PhD
Albert is happy to join his radiology colleagues after a year of general surgery internship at Stanford. After studying science and engineering at Caltech, he chose to enter medical school at the University of California, San Diego, where he completed a PhD program in bioengineering. He spent much of this time studying math, physics, and computation, visiting his soon-to-be wife at Stanford, training in martial arts, playing tennis, and surfing. He eventually completed medical school, got married, adopted cats, and spent a productive year learning general and subspecialty surgery.
Michael JJ Kim, MD
Michael was born and raised in Nutley, New Jersey, where he stayed close to home for his undergraduate career at Rutgers University, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in genetics. Afterwards, he attended Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City, where he developed his interest in radiology and met his fiancee. "JJ" recently became engaged, surprising his fiancee with a loudspeaker balcony proposal where they first met at Barnes and Noble in Nutley. For fun, Michael enjoys many sports including tennis and golf, sharing new experiences with friends and family, and learning about public policy issues.
Deborah Lee Abelson, MD
Debbie, from southern California, went to the University of Southern California for her undergraduate degree. She received her medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine. When not working, Debbie enjoys spending time with family, exploring the Bay Area, travelling abroad, and learning guitar.
Jared Narvid, MD
Born in California, Jared attended Yale University as an undergraduate. He earned his medical degree at the University of California, San Francisco. When not involved in research, Jared entertains himself by bicycling, playing tennis, roasting coffee, and playing jazz guitar.
Srihari Sampath, MD, PhD, MPhil
Srihari is a southern Californian. He completed his BA and MD degrees at Cornell University; his MPhil at the University of Cambridge; and his PhD at the Rockefeller University in New York. He is now excited to return to the Palo Alto underground, where he plans to pursue his interests in radiology, the Lakers, and indie rock. Srihari joins us at Stanford with his twin, Srinath Sampath, who is also in radiology.
Srinath Sampath, MD, PhD, MPhil
Srinath, a native Californian, earned his BA at Cornell University. He went on to complete his MPhil at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom; his PhD at the Rockefeller University in New York; and his MD at Cornell University Medical College. When asked to describe himself, Srinath offered the following: "When not actively having my life's dreams appropriated by my brother, I like to relax listening to classic and indie rock--either that or surfing PubMed. And though I don't always drink beer, when I do, I prefer Dos Equis." Srinath is here with his twin, Srihari Sampath, who is also in radiology.
Anobel Tamrazi, MD, PhD
Anobel started out in the Bay Area and attended San Jose State University for his BS. He earned his PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and his MD from the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He did his internship on the East Coast before returning to California for his radiology residency. When he gets a break in his schedule, he enjoys traveling and photography.
Amy White, MD
Amy is a returning California native. After earning her BS at the University of California, Santa Barbara, she studied for her MD at Georgetown University School of Medicine. She is sure to find a welcome home for her interests here, as both she and her husband are avid cyclists. In her remaining spare time, she enjoys practicing yoga.
Announcements: June 26, 2008
The Grand Opening of our new Stanford Medicine Imaging Center, Palo Alto, (451 Sherman Avenue) will be this Friday, June 27th, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Please come to our evening reception and take a tour of our new facility to celebrate our Grand Opening!
Date: Friday, June 27th
Time: 5-7 PM
Location : 451 Sherman Avenue
Light Fare, Wine, Music
Sherman Avenue is located one block south of Palo Alto's California Avenue business district, adjacent to the Olive Garden Restaurant, and just a half block east of El Camino Real. Public parking is available in lots located along Sherman Avenue.
RSVP to: cestades@stanfordmed.org or (650) 723-4527
The Movie Sequence at Lucas Presents The 39 Steps Tonight
This Wednesday, June 25th, at 6 PM, the Movie Sequence at Lucas presents The 39 Steps (1935), which is Alfred Hitchcock's adaptation of Scottish author John Buchan's adventure novel. For a movie summary/review, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_39_Steps_%281935_film%29. If you like, please also bring something to snack on and/or something to share. If you have questions, please contact Erika Rubesova, MD; Chardonnay Vance, MS; or Ulrich Willi, MD.
The Movie Sequence takes place every first and third Wednesday of the month at 6 PM (the film will play at 6:15 PM) in the Lucas Learning Center as a private event and free of charge. Black and white classics of various cultural backgrounds will be shown. Everyone is very welcome.
For the Movie Sequence online calendar, please visit
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=movie.sequence%40gmail.com&ctz=A.
People and Their Pets: Humboldt
From Garry Gold, MD
Here's a picture of me with Humboldt, the best dog on the planet, and a photo of our two-year-old son, Evan, with Humboldt. The residents are quite familiar with him.
Awards and Honors: June 24, 2008
Dr. Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, director of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), professor of Radiology and Bioengineering, and head of the Nuclear Medicine Division, has received two honors: the Tesla Medal and induction into the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI). Dr. Gambhir was awarded the Tesla Medal from the United Kingdom Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) for his research in the multimodality molecular imaging of living subjects. Established in England, the RCR can trace its beginnings to the Roentgen Society, which was founded in 1897. The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) has approximately 7,600 members and Fellows all over the world whose goal is to advance the science and practice of radiology and oncology. Dr. Gambhir received his second honor at the one hundred year anniversary of the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI) in 2008. At this anniversary meeting, Dr. Gambhir was inducted as a member of the ASCI, which is an honor society for physician-scientists. Election to the ASCI is an "extraordinary honor in academic medicine and industry" and is bestowed upon those who have achieved "significant accomplishments at a relatively early age." The ASCI is dedicated to advancing the research of human disease and to mentoring future generations of physician-scientists.
Dr. Gambhir has over 20 years of experience in molecular imaging in both animal models and patients. He has an active laboratory, with over 20 postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, that focuses on developing molecular imaging assays in small animal models for translation into clinical applications. Dr. Gambhir also has over 270 publications in the field of molecular imaging and leads several large NCI-funded programs, such as the In Vivo Cellular Molecular Imaging Center (ICMIC); the Center for Nanotechnology Excellence Focused on Therapy Response (CCNE-TR); and the Stanford Molecular Imaging Scholars (SMIS) Program. Dr. Gambhir is a member of the NCI Scientific Advisory Board; is past president (2006) of the Academy of Molecular Imaging; and serves on the board of several other societies. He is also on the editorial boards of several journals.
Awards and Honors: June 23, 2008
Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine (cardiology) and radiology, has been selected as a 2008 Baxter Faculty Scholar. The Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation Faculty Scholar Program Awards provide support to new assistant professors to help in the early stages of their research careers. To learn more about Dr. Wu's research, please visit his lab at http://mips.stanford.edu/research/lab?lab%5fid=2883.
Awards and Honors: June 23, 2008
Michael Zeineh, MD, PhD, neuroradiology fellow, has been awarded a research fellow grant from the Radiological Society of North America Research and Education Foundation for his project, "Ultra-High Resolution Clinical Imaging of the Human Medial Temporal Lobe with 7T MRI." Dr. Zeineh has just finished his radiology residency in our Department. He completed his internship as well as received his medical and graduate degrees at the University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA). Dr. Zeineh is also a GE Radiology Seed Funding Recipient and received the 2003 Emil Bogen Research Prize in recognition of his work. His current research interests include the development and application of ultra-high resolution 7T MRI of the human medial temporal lobe with clinical applications to Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy.
The Movie Sequence at Lucas Presents High Noon or The 39 Steps
This Wednesday, June 18th, at 6 PM, the Movie Sequence at Lucas presents High Noon or The 39 Steps (whichever movie is available) in the Lucas Learning Center. High Noon (1952) is a western film directed by Fred Zinnemann and written by John W. Cunningham and Carl Foreman. For a movie summary/review, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Noon. The 39 Steps (1935) is Alfred Hitchcock's adaptation of Scottish author John Buchan's adventure novel. For a movie summary/review, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_39_Steps_%281935_film%29. Chardonnay will provide snacks and drinks. If you like, please also bring something to snack on and/or something to share. If you have questions, please contact Erika Rubesova, MD; Chardonnay Vance, MS; or Ulrich Willi, MD.
The Movie Sequence takes place every first and third Wednesday of the month at 6 PM (the film will play at 6:15 PM) in the Lucas Learning Center as a private event and free of charge. Black and white classics of various cultural backgrounds will be shown. Everyone is very welcome.
For the Movie Sequence online calendar, please visit
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=movie.sequence%40gmail.com&ctz=A.
Awards and Honors: June 12, 2008
David Wang, MD, third-year radiology resident, has won a research seed grant from the Radiological Society of North America Research and Education Foundation for his project, "Ultrasound-Mediated Suicide Gene Therapy with Molecularly Targeted Microbubbles in a Murine Model of Tumor Angiogenesis." Dr. Wang will pursue this project under the residency program's newly established research track and will take a six-month sabbatical from his residency training to work in the laboratories of Drs. Juergen Willmann and Sanjiv Gambhir. Prior to residency, Dr. Wang received his medical degree from Stanford and was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellow. As a medical student, he founded and managed Pacific Free Clinic, a volunteer-run health clinic that offers basic healthcare services and onsite interpretation to low-income immigrants in Santa Clara County. The Clinic is currently in its fifth year of operation and has served thousands of patients. After residency, Dr. Wang plans to pursue a career in academic radiology.
Stanford Pediatric Radiology Excels at the Annual Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR) Meeting
Congratulations to all members of the Stanford/Packard Pediatric Radiology Program, who contributed to a very successful showing at the Society for Pediatric Radiology meeting from May 6th-10th in Scottsdale, Arizona. Stanford Radiologists had a record 16 presentations and started off the meeting with a bang, presenting 6 out of the 15 cardiovascular scientific papers at the SPR opening session.
Congratulations to John MacKenzie, MD, and Shreyas Vasanawala, MD, PhD, who are recipients of an SPR research seed grant for their submission entitled "Evaluation of Pediatric Diseases with Hyperpolarized Carbon-13 Magnetic Resonance Imaging."
I received a large number of very positive comments from meeting attendees regarding Stanford's contribution to this year's meeting. On a personal note, I am very proud of all members of our Department who made contributions to this year's meeting.
--Rich Barth, MD, Associate Chair of Radiology and Chief of Pediatric Imaging at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH) (Image courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)
For a detailed list of the SPR presentations, please click below.
Scientific Papers:
"Replacement of Catheter Angiography with CT Angiography for the Evaluation of Pulmonary Artery Anatomy in Neonatal Pulmonary Atresia with Ventricular Septal Defect" (Frandics Chan, MD, PhD; Elsie T. Nguyen, MD; Jeffrey A. Feinstein, MD; Stanton B. Perry, MD; V. Mohan Reddy, MD; Frank L. Hanley, MD)
"Evaluation of Contrast Injection Strategies in CT Angiography of Cavopulmonary Connections" (Frandics Chan, MD, PhD; Beverley Newman, MD; Stanton B. Perry, MD; Jeffrey A. Feinstein, MD)
"Interobserver Variability and Accuracy in the Diagnosis of Aberrant Coronary Artery in Children Using Coronary CT Angiography" (Frandics Chan, MD, PhD; Humberto Wong, MD; Shreyas Vasanawala, MD, PhD; Jeffrey A. Feinstein, MD; Anne M. Dubin, MD; Beverley Newman, MD)
"Portosystemic Shunts Associated with L-Isomerism" (Beverley Newman, MD; Jeffrey A. Feinstein, MD, MPH; Ronald A. Cohen, MD; Brian Feingold, MD; Jacqueline Kreutzer, MD; Frandics P. Chan, MD, PhD; et al)
"Referral Patterns Favor the Use of Coronary MR Angiography for the Evaluation of Aberrant Coronary Artery in Older Children" (Humberto Wong, MD; Shreyas S. Vasanawala, MD, PhD; Beverley Newman, MD; Anne M. Dubin, MD; Frandics P. Chan, MD, PhD)
"Characteristics of Anesthesia Complications in Pediatric Patients Who Underwent Cardiovascular CT and MRI Examinations" (Patricia Chang, MD; Chandra Ramamoorthy, MD; Jumbo Williams, MD; Frandics P. Chan, MD)
"Management of Bronchopulmonary Malformations: Results of the SPR and ESPR Survey" (Erika Rubesova, MD; Beverley Newman, MD; Sanjeev Dutta, MD; Gary E. Hartman, MD; Jarrett Rosenberg, PhD; Richard A. Barth, MD)
"CT in Infant Dysphagic Choking ALTE" (Patrick D. Barnes, MD; John G. Galaznik, MD; Michael V. Kranokutsky, MD; John Plunkett, MD; Janice J. Ophoven, MD; Waney Squier, BSc, MD, ChB; et al)
"Imaging Findings in Congenital Rickets" (Kathy A. Keller, MD; Patrick D. Barnes, MD)
"Subjective Versus Objective MRI Measurement of Fetal Lunch Volumes" (Swati D. Deshmukh, BS; Erika Rubesova, MD; Jarrett Rosenberg, PhD; Susan Hintz, MD; Richard Barth, MD)
Posters:
"Literature Review: Normative Fetal Lung Volume by Gestational Age on MRI" (Swati D. Deshmukh, BS; Erika Rubesova, MD; Richard Barth, MD)
"Primary Hepatic Masses in the Pediatric Population: A Pictorial Review" (Jayne M. Seekins, DO; Shreyas S. Vasanawala, MD, PhD)
"Management of Bronchopulmonary Malformations: Results of the SPR and ESPR Survey" (Erika Rubesova, MD; Beverley Newman, MD; Sanjeev Dutta, MD; Gary E. Hartman, MD; Jarrett Rosenberg, PhD; Richard Barth, MD)
Postgraduate Course:
"MR Arthrography Made Simple: Indications and Techniques" (John D. MacKenzie, MD, MS)
Workshops:
"Misleading Lesions: Things That Look Good but Are Bad (And Vice Versa)" (John D. MacKenzie, MD, MS)
"Pediatric MDCT Protocol Workshop: Image Quality vs. Dose" (Shreyas S. Vasanawala, MD, PhD)
Meet the Ultrasound Section at Stanford Hospital and Clinics
(front row, l to r): Lan Zhang, Xin Yuan, Diane Orluck, and Alex Karanany; (back row, l to r): Amber Gee and Marianne Johnson.
By Julie Ruiz, PhD
(Image courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)
There are many things that most people don't know about the ultrasound section at Stanford Hospital and Clinics (SHC). For instance, did you know that at least three of our ultrasound technologists have medical degrees from other countries? Did you know that two members of our ultrasound section have worked at SHC for over 18 years? Do you know which of our ultrasound technologists have won the Wingspread Award?
These are just a few of the things that are special about SHC's ultrasound section, which has grown tremendously. Eighteen years ago, there were three technologists; today, there are eight technologists, including those who work evening and weekend shifts. Depending on the time of year, there are also one to four travelers working in our section as well. Travelers are contracted agency staff who come from all over the United States; they work in one place for thirteen weeks up to one year. Each of our technologists is registered with the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).
In addition to the increasing number of staff, the technology has advanced in our section as well. Eighteen years ago, there were only three ultrasound machines. We now have one Siemens Syngo Dynamics System, for image interpretation and archiving, and six ultrasound machines--all Siemens Sequoias--along with a portable ultrasound ATL machine.
Our section is very busy and handles about 20 to 25 outpatients per day and 23 to 30 inpatients per day; the ultrasound technologists at Blake Wilbur scan about 8 to 10 patients per day. Many of our inpatients are fit into the schedule the same day they request a scan, so our technologists have to be very flexible. The ultrasound staff is thriving under the leadership of their Section Chief Brooke Jeffrey, MD, who has designed special bimonthly learning conferences that he holds on his own time, which allow the technologists to review the most interesting ultrasound cases with other physicians, residents, and body fellows.
Please meet our ultrasound section technologists:
Sarah Brandon, ARDMS, RVT, sonographer, is a graduate from the Foothill College Sonography Program. Ms. Brandon works part time in the Department; she has been here for almost two years and enjoys the challenging work. She decided last year to take her vascular board exams, and she now has that additional license.
Shirley Furuichi, ARDMS, RVT, senior sonographer, has worked in ultrasound at SHC for 18 years. She initially attended Foothill College and earned her degree in radiologic technology after becoming interested in radiology during a career day at her high school. After being hired at Stanford, she worked in X-ray for seven years and was asked to learn sonography. Consequently, Ms. Furuichi attended Foothill College and earned a degree and became registered in diagnostic medical sonography while continuing to work at SHC. The greatest changes Ms. Furuichi has seen over the years have been the innovations in ultrasound equipment: "We are always learning, which is the great part about being at a teaching institute. Dr. Jeffrey has been very active in trying out new software and equipment from Siemens' beta test site in Mountain View. Some of the software we get to test is confidential because it has not yet been released. It keeps our work on the cutting-edge." She has found it challenging to have the latest equipment housed in an older facility, which has not been remodeled in over 20 years: "While the ultrasound section has grown by adding new computers, machines, technologists, patients, etc., the space for the section has not."
However, Ms. Furuichi added, "I have really enjoyed working here. Dr. Jeffrey has been fabulous to work with, and he is the main reason why I have stayed here. Twice a month, he holds learning conferences on his own time for all of us to attend along with the other physicians, residents, and body fellows. We go over the most interesting cases, which gives us a chance to see what our colleagues are doing. The conferences are great teaching tools and provide a wonderful opportunity for us to learn and to improve." Another facet of her work that Ms. Furuichi enjoys is patient care and helping with diagnoses.
Amber Gee, ARDMS, traveler sonographer, was completing her associate of arts degree (AA) in X-ray when she did a rotation in sonography. Ms. Gee found ultrasound quite interesting, and she was relieved that it did not require the heavy lifting of X-ray cassettes. After talking with a friend who was also interested in ultrasound, she enrolled in Weeber State University in Utah and acquired a bachelor's degree in diagnostic medical sonography. Her first job in ultrasound was at a small hospital in Hamilton, Montana. Because she wanted to gain more experience in larger hospital settings, Ms. Gee became a traveler, and she has worked all over the United States for the past three years. This is her second time working at Stanford; she has been back since September 2007. Of all the places she has worked, Ms. Gee enjoys working at Stanford Hospital and Clinics the most: "I feel that when I work at other hospitals, I'm losing skills; when I work at Stanford Hospital and Clinics, I know I'm gaining skills. I really like working with the staff, patients, and physicians at Stanford. I feel like we are all part of a team. The physicians listen to my input, and they teach me new things so I'm always learning." The most challenging part of her day is dealing with difficult patients, but she views these instances as opportunities to gain new skills: "We do really thorough exams here, and the pathology we see is amazing."
Marianne Johnson, ARDMS, RVT, weekend senior sonographer, is well versed in X-ray and ultrasound. Prior to coming to SHC, she worked as the lead sonographer and radiology supervisor at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH l). Because of her versatility and positive work attitude, she recently won the SHC Wingspread Award for her outstanding work in ultrasound. Ms. Johnson was chosen as a "super user" for the EPIC Project. Along with Rebecca Wong, she is one of the "go to people" for questions about EPIC.
Alex Karanany, ARDMS, RVT, senior sonographer, has a medical degree from Egypt, where he was a medical doctor of general surgery. After immigrating to the U.S., he worked as the medical director for several physical therapy offices, and he considered becoming a physical therapist but decided against it. Mr. Karanany found sonography more interesting, so he attended the two-year accredited ultrasound program at Orange Coast College in Los Angeles and graduated in May of 2005. Six months after graduation, he passed the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) exams and was registered in abdomen, obstetric-gynecological, and vascular ultrasound. After working at more than 20 different hospitals and as a traveler, Mr. Karanany was hired in the ultrasound section of Stanford Hospital and Clinics in December of 2007. "Stanford Hospital and Clinics," Mr. Karanany commented, "is by far the best hospital at which I've worked. People here are very professional and knowledgeable, and I'm learning so much in the ultrasound section."
Amanda Nelson, RVT, ARDMS, senior sonographer, was a case worker for Child Protective Services in Texas before coming to Stanford. Although she considered getting her master's degree in social work, she did not find the work intellectually challenging enough. Because she loved animals, she began to take classes for veterinary school and worked in clinics. Mrs. Nelson found the medical parts of her classes and clinics exciting. After listening to her friends describe their experiences working in sonography, she decided to observe a sonographer at Parkland Memorial Hospital. Sonography was not only intellectually challenging but very interesting to Mrs. Nelson. So, she attended El Centro College in Dallas, Texas; passed the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) exams; and was registered in diagnostic medical sonography. She worked at Baylor Medical Center for two years. After working as a traveler, Mrs. Nelson came to Stanford in April of 2007 and became a permanent SHC employee in March of 2008.
The most satisfying part of her work is caring for her patients: "I enjoy working on cases where you can really make a difference in a patient's care, like when you find a DVT or cancer that you catch early. It feels good to be involved in helping to save someone's life. I also like explaining procedures to patients so that they understand what's happening to them and why, and they become more willing to cooperate." The most challenging part of her work is doing portable exams because there is not a lot of room for the large ultrasound machines.
Diane Orluck, ARDMS, RVT, sonography supervisor, will celebrate 18 years at SHC in July of 2008. She originally began in X-ray, worked for a while in CT and cath angio, and then pursued sonography. After acquiring a lot of experience in scanning, Ms. Orluck was recruited to the SHC sonography section; she was later awarded the SHC Wingspread Award for her outstanding work in ultrasound. She has found that the most substantial change in ultrasound has been the advances in technology: "You can see so much more now on each imaging exam, and you can see it so much more clearly." One thing that has remained the same for Ms. Orluck is the direct contact with patients that ultrasound provides: "Most people pursue ultrasound because they like the direct contact with patients. As sonographers, we are not just pushing buttons; we have to know the pathology and anatomy of the body. While the procedures used during each exam are the same, each patient is always different, so each exam is unique." In addition to the patients, Ms. Orluck explained, the hard work of their section chief, Dr. Jeffrey, makes the atmosphere in the ultrasound section special: "Dr. Jeffrey is the driving force behind ultrasound. His attitude is infectious, and he has created a very positive learning atmosphere that has inspired our section so that we are very enthusiastic about coming to work and about working towards the correct diagnosis."
Rebecca Wong, ARDMS, senior sonographer, has been at SHC for about six years. She works with many of the residents on the evening shift. Recently, she was chosen as a "super user" for the EPIC Project. Along with Marianne Johnson, she is one of the "go to people" for questions about EPIC. Ms. Wong already had her bachelor of arts degree when she decided to go into ultrasound. She completed the Foothill College Sonography Program, and she was hired at SHC to work full-time during the weekdays. When she started her family, Ms. Wong began working the evening shift to better accommodate her busy schedule.
Xin Yuan, ARDMS, sonographer, has a medical degree in general medicine from China. When she came to the United States, she first completed a respiratory program and earned an associate's degree. Subsequently, Ms. Yuan applied to Foothill College and earned a degree in diagnostic medical sonography. Her last rotation for her internship was at Stanford Hospital and Clinics, where she was hired after completing her rotation and becoming registered with the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). "Utrasound is an art," Ms. Yuan commented. "I love the images and the anatomy and pathology of the field. I also love helping patients and working with Stanford physicians. Every day is challenging and, everyday, I learn something new and discuss new cases. Getting the correct diagnosis is also a challenge, and it's something I look forward to each day."
Lan Zhang, ARDMS, sonographer, has a medical degree in pediatrics from China. After obtaining her degree in diagnostic medical sonography from Foothill College, she rotated through SHC, and she was hired after completing her internship and becoming registered with the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). She has been in the ultrasound section for over a year.
Awards and Honors: April 18, 2008
Sandip Biswal, MD, assistant professor of radiology; Sheen-Woo Lee, MD, MSc, postdoctoral scholar; Shin Kamaya, BSE; Deepak Behera, DNB, postdoctoral fellow; Edward Graves, PhD, assistant professor of radiation oncology (radiation physics); and Garry Gold, MD, associate professor of radiology and, by courtesy, of bioengineering and orthopaedic surgery, were awarded the Moncada Award at the 31st Annual Meeting of the Society of Computed Body Tomography and Magnetic Resonance (SCBT/MR) for their outstanding research project "Imaging Pain and Nociception with Manganese-Enhanced MRI (MEMRI)." The Moncada Award was named in honor of Rogelio Moncada, MD, who helped establish the SCBT/MR research awards program. Please find photos and brief biographies of some of our award winners below.
Deepak Behera, diplomate of National Board (DNB), specialized in nuclear medicine from Medwin Hospitals in Hyderabad, India, after receiving his medical degree (MBBS) from MKCG Medical College in Orissa, India. Before coming to Stanford, he served as senior resident in the nuclear medicine clinics at PGIMER in Chandigarh, India. Dr. Behera is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Molecular Imaging of Musculoskeletal Illnesses (MIMI) Laboratory where he is investigating a clinically applicable nociception imaging agent that has applications in both cancerous and noncancerous conditions. Outside the lab, he enjoys traveling, outdoor sports, dancing, and singing.
Sandip Biswal, MD, assistant professor of radiology, received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Division of Health Science and Technology (HST). As a faculty member at Stanford, he was won the Junior Faculty of the Year Resident Teaching Award twice and the RSNA Research Trainee Prize three times: once each in Informatics and Nuclear Medicine with Bao Do, MD, and once in Nuclear Medicine with Brian Kim, MD. Dr. Biswal is the leader of the Molecular Imaging of Musculoskeletal Illnesses (MIMI) Laboratory, where he researches the use of multimodality molecular imaging techniques to study nociception as it relates to bones, joints, the peripheral nervous system, and the spinal cord.
Garry E. Gold, MD, associate professor of radiology and (by courtesy) bioengineering and orthopedics at Stanford University, received a master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford in 1988 and his MD from Stanford in 1992. Dr. Gold has authored over 60 journal articles, 170 abstracts, and 5 patents in MRI. He has been the principal investigator or a co-investigator on over 30 funded research projects, and he is the principal investigator on two NIH-funded projects to improve MR imaging of osteoarthritis and the use of real-time MRI for the study of biomechanics. The International Skeletal Society recently awarded Dr. Gold the President's Medal. He is also a five-time winner of the Lauterbur Award for the best MRI paper from the Society for Computed Body Tomography and Magnetic Resonance (SCBT/MR). Dr. Gold reviews manuscripts for ten peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (JMRI) and the journal of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (MRM), and he is on the editorial board of several publications. At Stanford, Dr. Gold practices clinical musculoskeletal radiology, teaching medical students, residents, and fellows. He teaches two courses in imaging physics and human anatomy for medical students and graduate students, and he was recently awarded the Kaiser Award for outstanding and innovative contributions to education. He also serves as an advisor and co-advisor for many engineering graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.