Faculty

National Radiologic Technology Week: Nov. 8-14, 2009

By Stanford Imaging Services

During National Radiologic Technology Week (NRTW), an annual recognition established by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), we celebrate the great advances in radiologic technologies that have been made since the discovery of the X-ray on November 8, 1895.

The week of November 8-14th, we proudly celebrate all employees of Stanford's world-renowned Department of Radiology for continually providing outstanding care. Offering the best diagnostic imaging services and expertise while utilizing state-of-the-art technology, this Department never fails to demonstrate extraordinary teamwork by all its dedicated medical professionals. For more than one-hundred years, Stanford Radiology has made a difference in the lives of patients and their families, while continuing to . . .

make important contributions to medical and surgical advances. This hardworking Department, in this ever-growing Stanford community, continues to lead imaging-based research, patient care, and education. This year in particular, the Stanford Radiology Department has pioneered transformations in several areas. These significant advances, along with our teamwork and excellence in patient care, make our Department unique among radiologic service providers and serve as an inspiration to our patients.

Furthering our clinical imaging enterprise, we unveiled two new outpatient centers this year: Stanford Medicine Imaging Center in Palo Alto and Stanford Medicine Outpatient Center in Redwood City. Focused on patient comfort, both of our Centers have been designed to ease the tensions associated with health problems through innovative approaches to reduce anxiety such as promoting a calming environment; utilizing beautiful architecture; and employing a patient-centric approach to healthcare delivery. With the added imaging capacity of both centers, we have accelerated our delivery of outpatient care, while providing imaging services with the most advanced technology available. By constantly innovating, we have placed ourselves in a continual state of technological advancement.

Additionally, we have completely rebuilt our Nuclear Medicine Clinic on the 2nd floor of Stanford Hospital and Clinics (SHC). After years of planning, the anticipated opening of the Clinic is July 2010. In addition to two new state-of-the-art PET/CT 64 slice systems, the design also includes a Radiochemistry Lab and a Health Physics Workshop. The work flow of patients will dramatically improve with the centrally located design and features.

Stanford Radiology Imaging Services by Location:

Blake Wilbur

• CT


• MRI


• Comprehensive Diagnostic Digital Radiography


• PET/CT


• Ultrasound

Stanford Medicine Imaging Center, Palo Alto

• CT


• MRI

Stanford Hospital and Clinics

• CT


• MRI


• Magnetic Resonance Therapy


• Nuclear Medicine


• Comprehensive Diagnostic Digital Radiography


• Ultrasound


• Angiography/Interventional Radiology


• (PET/CT Planned for 2010)

• Comprehensive Diagnostic Digital Radiography


• Full-Field Digital Mammography


• Computer-Aided Detection Program for Screening Mammography


• Stereotactic Core Biopsy Program


• Ultrasound

Stanford Medicine Outpatient Center, Redwood City

• CT


• MRI


• Diagnostic Digital Radiography


• Ultrasound


• Bone Densitometry

Dr. William Kuo and Colleagues Reveal Lifesaving Treatment for Pulmonary Embolism

Dr. William Kuo was recently featured in a Stanford Medicine News article and national press release entitled "Study Reveals Life-Saving Treatment for Pulmonary Embolism." Dr. Kuo discussed the results from his study published in the November 2009 issue of the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (20(11):1431-1440). Analyzing global data regarding the use of catheter-directed therapy for massive PE, he and his colleagues discovered that the therapy was life-saving in 86.5% of the 594 cases they studied. Dr. Kuo published his findings along with co-authors Lawrence Hofmann, MD, associate professor and chief of cardiovascular-interventional radiology; Daniel Sze, MD, associate professor of radiology; John Louie, MD, assistant professor of radiology; Jarrett Rosenberg, PhD, statistician; and Michael Gould, MD, associate professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine. The full Stanford press release can be accessed here: http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2009/october/embolism.html.

Pediatric Musculoskeletal Interventional Program at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (LPCH)

CT guided imaging at LPCH for treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The arrow shows the trajectory of the needle for placement of steroid medication into the temporomandibular joint.

By Julie Ruiz, PhD

“I was hoping my scar would be bigger,” remarked one of our pediatric patients with some disappointment as she undid her bandage. Several days earlier her bone tumor had been successfully treated through a CT-image guided ablation procedure at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (LPCH).

To treat children with bone tumors, our Chief of Pediatric Musculoskeletal Imaging at LPCH, Dr. John MacKenzie, has teamed up with Drs. Larry Rinsky, James Gamble, and Meghan Imrie, pediatric orthopedics at LPCH. Because CT-guided RF ablations for osteoid osteoma tumors require a very small incision and leave virtually no scar, other parents have also

expressed their gratitude for the work done through our Pediatric Musculoskeletal Interventional Program. One mother was ecstatic that her daughter had the first "good night’s sleep in years" the day after the team had eliminated her bone lesion with CT-guided RF ablation.

These are just a few of the many success stories from the Pediatric Musculoskeletal Interventional Program at LPCH, which is helping to expand the minimally invasive options for our smallest patients. Dr. MacKenzie says he enjoys the interventional part of his work at LPCH because it gives him a chance to work directly with the patients, "Often the role of the pediatric radiologist is as the doctor's doctor, seeing the patient for the most part by how they look on the imaging study." But he says the interventional component of his work is very rewarding because he gets a chance to do something that may help while meeting the kids and family at the same time.

Along with the pediatric orthopedists, Dr. MacKenzie has also teamed up with rheumatologists and oncologists at LPCH in order to offer other image-guided diagnostic and treatment procedures to children, such as bone and soft tissue biopsies, joint aspirations, and diagnostic and therapeutic joint arthrograms.

Prior to the Pediatric Musculoskeletal Interventional Program, children were treated with a larger incision or transferred to the adult hospital. The smaller body parts of pediatric patients present a particular challenge for successful image-guided procedures, but the Program is adapting smaller tools made to fit children as well as special techniques to minimize the CT dose delivered to radiosensitive tissues.

These image-guided therapies help shorten the recovery time, reduce pain, and increase the chance for recovery. Since the Program began two years ago, they have treated over 60 children for various minimally invasive procedures with excellent response. Imaging guidance includes fluoroscopy, CT, and ultrasound and the approach varies depending on what imaging strategy works best for an individual child.

Stanford Radiology Voted "Best Radiologist Training Program"

Voted the 2009 "Best Radiologist Training Program" by AuntMinnie.com, Stanford Radiology was recently recognized for excellence in radiological education.

Dr. Gary M. Glazer and Colleagues Use Image-Guided Insonification for Tumor Biomarker Detection

Emma Pfeiffer Merner Professor in the Medical Sciences and chair of the Department of Radiology, Gary M. Glazer, MD, led a team of researchers in a ground-breaking study recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), "A Strategy for Blood Biomarker Amplification and Localization Using Ultrasound," in which they apply low-frequency ultrasound directly to tumor cells, causing the release of significant amounts of biomarker measurable in the blood. Simultaneously, they provide a method for the localization of biomarker production by showing that this release of biomarkers is specific to the direct application of ultrasound to the tumor. Their research is featured in a recent Stanford news article by Bruce Goldman, "Researchers Use Ultrasound to Better Detect Tumor Biomarkers."

Dr. Glazer published his study along with co-author, Sanjiv "Sam" Gambhir, MD, PhD, Virginia & D.K. Ludwig Professor of Radiology & Bioengineering; chief of the Nuclear Medicine Division; and director of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), as well as first author Aloma D'Souza, PhD, research scientist and member of the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab. Other co-authors include Kim Butts Pauly, PhD, professor of radiology; Samira Guccione, PhD, assistant professor of radiology; and staff scientists Jeffrey Tseng, MD (now at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in California) and Jarrett Rosenberg, PhD, of the radiology department.

New Staff Hires and Promotions: October 16, 2009

Kim Ko joined our Department on August 24, 2009, as our new human resources administrator. Born and raised in O'ahu, Hawai'i, Ms. Ko moved to California a few months ago. "I knew I always wanted to move to the Bay Area," she said. "So, I was really excited when this opportunity to work at Stanford came up. There are certain comforts of home that I miss, of course, like my family and friends, but I'm really excited to begin this new chapter in my life."

For her undergraduate education, Ms. Ko attended . . .

the University of Hawaii, graduating in 2004 with a bachelor's in business administration and with majors in both the management of information systems and marketing. After graduation, she worked briefly as a communications analyst for Linda Lingle, the current governor of Hawai'i. Lacking a passion for politics, Ms. Ko left after five months and began working at Norwegian Cruise Line America (NCLA) as an administrative assistant in the Honolulu land office. On her first day, she was placed in the human resources department (HR) and began her career by conducting phone interviews and hiring crewmembers to staff NCLA's second cruise ship, the Pride of America.

Working her way up the ranks at NCLA, Ms. Ko held many different positions in the HR department, which included working as an HR manager onboard each of the three American-flagged ships (the Pride of Aloha, Pride of America, and Pride of Hawai'i). "Each position was a very interesting and different experience," Ms. Ko commented. "Ship life definitely created some very interesting stories to tell! Through my employment with NCLA, I was able to take a 19-day cruise last year from San Francisco down to South America. I visited Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. I was able to go to Machu Picchu for a three-day adventure, and it is one of the most amazing and beautiful places I have ever been. I have also traveled to different parts of China, and visited the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. One of my life's goals is to travel to all seven continents."

Ms. Ko's spare time is mostly devoted to surfing on the Internet, which includes keeping in touch with people on social networking sites, shopping, and learning things through Wikipedia. Back in her home state, she also used to participate in a modern dance group called Giinko Marischino, which performed at various venues across the state of Hawai'i. She hopes to find a similar group in the near vicinity to continue in the performing arts, and to refine her skills in belly dancing.

Center for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Technology Receives a Perfect "10"

The Stanford Radiological Sciences Laboratory (RSL) and the Department of Electrical Engineering's Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Laboratory (MRSRL) received renewal of their NIH P41 Grant for the Center for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Technology at Stanford (CAMRT). In its fifteenth year of existence, the CAMRT’s perfect grant score extends its funding through its twentieth year.

Awards and Honors II: October 9, 2009

Kim Butts Pauly, PhD, associate professor of radiology and of Bioengineering (by courtesy), was recently elected to the board of the International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound (ISTU) for a period of three years. The ISTU is a non-profit organization "founded in 2001 to increase and diffuse knowledge of therapeutic ultrasound to the scientific and medical community, and to facilitate the translation of therapeutic ultrasound techniques into the clinical arena for the benefit of patients worldwide." Dr. Butts Pauly's current research interests are focused on image-guided minimally invasive therapies, including MR-guided high intensity focused ultrasound and MR-guided cryoablation. She has published her work in over 75 peer-reviewed publications. When Dr. Butts Pauly is not working, she enjoys gardening, traveling with her family, and reading with her kids.

Awards and Honors I: October 9, 2009

Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine (cardiology) and radiology, was one of four Stanford scientists to receive a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Transformative R01 Award designed to "support exceptionally innovative, high risk, original and/or unconventional research projects that have the potential to create or overturn fundamental paradigms."

According to a recent Office of Communication & Public Affairs article, Dr. Wu's award will support his research regarding "ways to keep the body from rejecting human embryonic stem cells. For many years, researchers assumed that these undifferentiated building blocks would be ignored by the body's defense system. Wu's recent research in mice shows that this is not the case. 'It's getting harder and harder to believe that these cells are immunoprivileged,' said Wu. 'Now we need to know what to do about it.'" He will use his award to devise ways to "coax the immune system to tolerate the foreign cells, allowing them to regenerate or heal damaged tissues" (from "Stanford Nabs 13 Top NIH Awards for High-Stakes Research" by Krista Conger, Erin Digitale, Bruce Goldman, David Orenstein, Ruthann Richter, and Tracie White; download PDF at Stanford Nabs 13 Top NIH Awards for High-Stakes Research.pdf). To learn more about Dr. Wu's research, please access the Cardiovascular Gene and Cell Therapy Lab website at http://mips.stanford.edu/research/lab?lab%5fid=2883.

Oldest Person Scanned at Stanford by Dr. Fahrig

(Images courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)

By Julie Ruiz, PhD

On August 20th, Rebecca Fahrig, PhD, directed the CT scanning of a 2,500-year-old mummy of the Egyptian Priest Iret-net Hor-irw. The high resolution CT scans were taken of the mummy in the AxiomLab and will be used . . .

to construct three-dimensional images of his skeleton to learn more about the mummy's life and death.

To acquire more information about the mummy's amulets, a second scanning procedure was completed at Stanford Medicine Imaging Center, Palo Alto, (SMIC) with a dual-energy CT scanner that differentiates between different materials. Through these scans, scientists hope to learn more about the substances used in the mummification process as well as in the composition of the amulets.

The mummy has been a resident of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco since 1917 and will be part of an upcoming show at the Legion of Honor Museum in an exhibition entitled, "Very Postmortem: Mummies and Medicine," which opens on Oct. 31, 2009. This exhibition is organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco with the cooperation of the Akhmim Mummy Studies Consortium, Stanford Radiology, and Stanford Medicine Imaging Center. Additional project assistance has been provided by the Stanford Division of Anatomy, eHuman Inc., and Fovia Inc. To read more about the mummy, please access "The Mummy Speaks: Detailed Scans at Stanford Help Reveal the Secrets of an Ancient Egyptian Priest" and "Mummy to Be Scanned at Stanford at Aug. 20."

This is Dr. Fahrig's second time scanning a mummy. In 2005, she led the team who scanned a 2,000-year-old mummy of a four- or five-year old girl (nicknamed Sherit, or "little one") from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose. To read more about Dr. Fahrig's work, please access "Radiologists as Artists: Critics Love Mummy Scans"; "Mummy's Inner Secrets Revealed"; "The Latest in X-Rays: A 'Mummogram'?"; and "It's a Girl: Digital Unwrapping Reveals a Little Mummy's Secrets."

Research by Dr. Wu and Colleagues Induces Fat Cells to Become iPS Cells

In a recently published paper, "Feeder-Free Derivation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Adult Human Adipose Stem Cells," senior author Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine (cardiology) and radiology, and his colleagues describe how they reprogrammed fat cells (collected from adults undergoing liposuction) to become pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for use in tissue regeneration and disease research. According to Dr. Wu, "Fibroblasts, or skin cells, must be grown in the lab for three weeks or more before they can be reprogrammed. But these stem cells from fat are ready to go right away"(from "'Liposuction Leftovers' Easily Converted to iPS Cells, Study Shows" by Krista Conger http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2009/september/fat-cells.html or Download file.

Please click here to access the full research article "Feeder-Free Derivation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Adult Human Adipose Stem Cells," (published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 2009;106(37):15720-15725 http://www.pnas.org/content/106/37/15720.full.pdf) by Dr. Wu and his colleagues, which include co-author Michael Longaker, MD, professor of surgery (plastic/recon surgery) and (by courtesy) of bioengineering and first author Ning Sun, PhD, postdoctoral scholar in the Cardiovascular Gene and Cell Therapy Lab.

Visiting Scholar Ronald M. Summers, MD, PhD

Stanford Radiology welcomes Ronald M. Summers, MD, PhD, who is on sabbatical leave from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Department of Radiology where he serves as chief of the clinical image processing service and directs the Imaging Biomarkers and Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) Laboratory.

Dr. Summers received his BA degree in physics and his MD and PhD degrees in medicine/anatomy & cell biology from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed a medical internship at the Presbyterian-University of Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, PA; a radiology residency at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; and an MRI fellowship at Duke University, Durham, NC.

In 1994, he joined the Diagnostic Radiology Department at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, where he is now a tenured senior investigator and staff radiologist. His clinical areas of specialty are thoracic and gastrointestinal radiology as well as body cross-sectional imaging, and his research interests include virtual colonoscopy, CAD, and the development of large radiologic image databases. Dr. Summers is a co-chair of the Computer-Aided Diagnosis Program and program committee member of the Biomedical Applications Section of the annual Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Medical Imaging Conference. His many awards and honors include the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, which was presented to him in 2000 by Dr. Neal Lane, former President Clinton's science advisor. In addition, Dr. Summers has co-authored over 190 journal publications, review articles, and conference proceedings, and he is a co-inventor on eight patents. In his spare time, Dr. Summers enjoys traveling and photography.

Dr. Sze: A Man in a Surgical Cap

If you look up as you walk past the Lucas Center towards the Center for Clinical Sciences Research (CCSR), you will see a photo of Dr. Dan Sze in surgical scrubs on a banner dedicated to patient care. The author of a recent SOM article entitled, "Banner Season to Mark 50th Anniversary," describes Dr. Sze's banner as "a man in a surgical cap." The banner with Dr. Sze's photo is one of six designs commemorating the Medical Center's move in 1959 from San Francisco to Palo Alto and marking the Center's 50th anniversary. In addition to the Medical Center, banners are also located on the perimeter of the Medical Center along Pasteur Drive and Welch Road as well as on lampposts along El Camino Real in Palo Alto. Already featured at alumni events and commencement, they will remain on display until early October. In the near future, the banner designs will be displayed on bookmarks. To read more, please access http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2009/august/brief-banners-0812.html or Download file.

Awards and Honors II: September 23, 2009

Scott W. Atlas, MD, professor and chief of neuroradiology and senior fellow at both the Hoover Institution and Freeman-Spogli Institute for International Studies, has received an international honor on September 12, 2009, at the Annual Meeting of the Sociedade de Radiologia de Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil, for his "important contributions to radiology and to education in Brazil."

Dr. Atlas is recognized as a world leader in both education and clinical research and has been on the Nominating Committee for the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology for several years. His research has centered on advanced applications of new MRI technologies in neurologic diseases, and he has authored more than 120 scientific publications in leading journals. Dr. Atlas is also the editor of the best-selling textbook Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain and Spine, which was recently released in its 4th edition and officially translated from English into Mandarin, Spanish, and Portuguese. He is also editor, associate editor, and an editorial board member of numerous scientific journals, and he has been a member of the boards of many major national and international scientific societies over the past decade. In recognition of his leadership in the field, Dr. Atlas has received many awards and honors. He has been named by his peers in The Best Doctors in America every year since its initial publication, as well as in regional listings, such as The Best Doctors in New York, Silicon Valley's Best Doctors, and other similar publications. He recently received the Alumni 2008 Comeback Award from his alma mater, the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

In addition, Dr. Atlas' work includes investigations into the effects of the changing healthcare marketplace on technology-based innovations in medicine, and he has lectured throughout the world on a variety of topics, most notably advances in MRI of the brain, and the key economic issues related to the future of such technology-based advances. During the 2008 Presidential Campaign, Dr. Atlas was a senior advisor for health care and the coordinator of the Health Policy Team for one of the major U.S. presidential candidates. At the Freeman-Spogli Institute for International Studies, he has particular interests in the evolving healthcare system of emerging economies, and he recently received a Fulbright Award to collaborate with Chinese academic leaders on structuring healthcare solutions for China. Dr. Atlas has also participated with leaders from government and academia on the World Bank's Commission on Growth and Development, and he is an adviser to major industry leaders in medical technology.

To read his prior blog articles, please access "Awards and Honors: March-April 2007"; "Awards and Honors: September 29, 2008"; "Sanford/Atlas: Alternatives to Government Health Takeover"; "Dr. Atlas' Commentary on Our Healthcare System Featured in The Washington Times"; and "Commentary by Dr. Atlas: 'Mr. Health Care: Ted Kennedy's Lifelong Passion' and 'Why Are These Health Care Fixes Ignored?'"

Awards and Honors I: September 23, 2009

Guillem Pratx, PhD, doctoral candidate in electrical engineering and member of the Molecular Imaging Instrumentation Laboratory, recently published an article in Physics in Medicine and Biology entitled "Bayesian Reconstruction of Photon Interaction Sequences for High-Resolution PET Detectors," which has been selected as a Featured Article by the editors of the Institute of Physics Journals. Dr. Pratx's article was chosen for its "novelty, high level of interest and potential impact on future research." To view his article, please access http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/-featured=jnl/0031-9155/54/17/001.

Dr. Pratx completed his undergraduate work in engineering at the Ecole Centrale in Paris, France. At Stanford (MIPS), he is completing his dissertation esearch, which centers on the development of practical algorithms hat exploit graphics processing units (GPU) for fast medical image reconstruction in ultra-high resolution PET systems under development at the University. For more details regarding his biography, please see Dr. Pratx's earlier award postings by accessing "Awards and Honors: August 2, 2007"; " Awards and Honors: December 17, 2007"; "Awards and Honors II: December 5, 2008"; and "Awards and Honors II: July 18, 2008."

Medical Students Need Earlier Exposure to Radiology According to Drs. Desser and Hovsepian

Although radiology still remains among the top 10 specialty choices, it has fallen from fifth to ninth, according to the National Residency Matching Program. In "Early Radiology Exposure Could Lure Medical Students to Specialty" from the August 2009 RSNA News, Terry Desser, MD, professor of radiology and residency program director, and David Hovsepian, MD, professor of radiology as well as chief quality and safety officer, describe the causes of decreasing interest in radiology while offering solutions.

According to Dr. Hovsepian, the diminished appeal of radiology as a career choice among medical students is due in part to "students' misperceptions about what radiologists actually do and the central role that we often play in patient care." One solution is to expose medical students early on to radiology, as Dr. Desser describes: "We need to be the ones teaching them anatomy and about imaging and manifestations of pathophysiology on imaging early on in their training, so they recognize what we do and what we contribute." To read the full article, please access http://www.rsna.org/Publications/rsnanews/August-2009/early_exposure_feature.cfm or Download file.

Dr. Sandy Napel Plays the Aquaphone on "West Coast Live"

When he bought tickets to be in the audience of the radio variety show "West Coast Live," Dr. Napel didn't expect to become part of the show. Neither did he anticipate being featured in the first sentence of an article from the San Francisco Chronicle entitled "West Coast Live': A Glimpse of Old-Time Radio"! But when the radio show host, Sedge Thomson, asked for audience volunteers to play the Aquaphone onstage, Dr. Napel couldn't resist volunteering to play the instrument, which is a special effect used to open the radio show that sounds similar to the noise of swimming in the bay. After working with state-of-the-art, high tech equipment at Stanford, playing the Aquaphone on live radio was a welcomed change for Dr. Napel, who left the show, according to "West Coast Live': A Glimpse of Old-Time Radio", "with his wife and teenage daughter . . . in the glow of old-time radio." To read the full article, please access http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/14/DD2H18NMVE.DTL or Download file.

Medical Imaging: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

Dr. Pat Basu's article "Medical Imaging: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly" was recently featured in Kaiser Health News and addresses the optimization of medical imaging. To read his article, please access http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Columns/2009/August/081309Basu.aspx or Download file.

2009 Fourth Annual Japanese Technologist Summer Training Program

By Mike Moseley, PhD

(photo courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)

From August 3rd-7th, Stanford Radiology held its fourth annual Japanese Technologist Summer Training Program, a joint educational program in partnership with the Japanese Society of Radiological Technology (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, a tour of SMIC, shopping, and biking. For the brave of the bunch, Dr. Deb Ikeda once again led a dawn charge up to the Stanford Dish. 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 our speakers and to everyone who spent so much time and effort to make this an ongoing success.

New Residents for 2009!

We are excited to welcome our new residents, who began in July 2009! To learn more about our first-year residents, please find some of their biographies along with their photos below.

Ed Boas, MD, PhD
Veronica Cox, MD
Sarah Garaas, MD
Theodore Jerdee, MD
Tim Joseph, MD
Marnie Kremer, MD
Andreas Loening, MD, PhD
Nicholas Telischak, MD, MS
Jonathan Williams, MD

Ed was born in Taiwan and grew up in San Diego. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard and then entered the Stanford MD/PhD program. After graduating, he spent a year completing a general surgery internship before starting in radiology. Ed likes to build things and loves the thrill of making something new and useful. Some of his recent projects include developing an algorithm for reducing metal streak artifacts in CT scans and creating a method for designing custom binding proteins. At Stanford, he plans to pursue interventional radiology and develop new medical devices.

Veronica is a lifetime Californian, who hails from the backwoods of rural Mendocino County. She grew up playing outside in the redwood forests and cooking-up amateur science fair projects in her backyard. Her "research" of "mudslides" brought home many prizes from the California State Science Fair, where she was also named "Most Promising Future Scientist." Veronica is very close to her three sisters, all of whom have also attended Stanford University at one time or another. Prior to entering the Radiology Residency Program at Stanford, she attended the University of California, Berkeley, as an undergraduate, followed by medical school at the University of California, San Diego. In her spare time, Veronica enjoys painting, listening to classic rock, and spending time with her new niece.

Tim Joseph is a true Californian. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles, for his BS, and then ventured northward where he attained his MD degree at the University of California, San Francisco. He returned to his hometown of San Diego to complete his internship, and made the return trip back to Stanford to complete his radiology residency. Tim is an avid sports fan (Lakers!), and traveler; he also LOVES eating all kinds of foods.

Marnie grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, and stayed in the Midwest to attain her bachelor of science degree in nutritional science from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. She went on to complete her medical degree at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, where she also received her Certificate in Medical Sonography. This past year, she returned to Fargo, North Dakota, for her internship at the University of North Dakota. Marnie enjoys camping, hiking, running, volleyball, and travel.

Andy Loening (sounds like "Learning') grew up in Iowa City, and then headed to Boston to study electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). After completing his undergraduate degree, he decided to check out the west coast, earning his MD/PhD here at Stanford. Continuing his slow westward migration, Andy finished his transitional internship at the University of Hawaii. He enjoys backpacking, guitar, fermented grain products, indie rock, and what he calls "dorking out" on his computer. Andy has also recently taken up surfing.

Nick grew up in the Bay Area but left for New England to study mechanical engineering at Tufts University. He attended Dartmouth Medical School where he met his wife, Kristen. Having tasted life at Stanford while pursuing a master's degree in bioengineering, Nick has returned for his radiology residency. According to Nick, he "dragged his wife, a lifelong New Englander, kicking and screaming" to San Francisco where she is a surgical intern at the University of California, San Francisco. When he is not in a dark room, Nick is bicycling, running, swimming, or trying to find the perfect margarita.

Awards and Honors: August 11, 2009

Sandra Rodriguez, BS R(RT)(MR), MR research technologist, has been awarded the UPS Foundation Scholarship from the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. This scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis to assist students, who have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0, in obtaining their educational objectives. Ms. Rodriguez earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Administration (BSHA) in an online program through the University of Phoenix in September of 2008. She is currently enrolled in the Master's Program in Health Administration and will receive her degree in November 2010. As an MRI technologist at the Lucas Center, Ms. Rodriguez helps users set-up for their studies and facilitates their scans, providing support whenever necessary. She also does quality assurance on our three scanners and makes sure they are running smoothly. In her free time, Ms. Rodriguez enjoys cardio kickboxing; reading; and trying to keep up with a teenage girl (her daughter).

For her prior awards listings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/04/awards_and_hono_35.html and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/04/awards_and_hono_1.html.

Did You Know?

Number of Radiology Departments in Top U.S. Medical Schools in 1913
As ranked by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association, only 4 of the top 18 U.S. medical colleges in 1913 recognized Roentgenology as a distinct "Department of Instruction": Northwestern University, Harvard University, Cornell University, and the University and Bellevue Hospital Medical College (from "Medical Colleges of the United States: Annual Presentation of Educational Data by the Council on Medical Education in J Am Med Assoc1913;61(8):569-598 and quoted in "Instruction in Roentgenology" by Adolph Henriques and Lodilla Ambrose, JAMA 1914;V.LXIII;N.8:651-653).

The Council chose the top or "A+" 18 U.S. medical colleges by . . .

rating all medical schools on a scale of 1,000 points based on 10 criteria each worth 100 points (please see criteria listed below). Class A+ colleges were those that earned an "acceptable" rating based on these 10 criteria (to read more, please access "Medical Colleges of the United States: Annual Presentation of Educational Data by the Council on Medical Education" in J Am Med Assoc 1913;61(8):598).

10 Criteria:
1. Showing of graduates before state boards and other evidences
of the training received.
2. Enforcement of a satisfactory preliminary educational requirement,
granting of advanced standing, and the character of records.
3. Character of curriculum, grading of course, length of session, and
time allowed for matriculation and supervision.
4. Medical school buildings: light, heat, ventilation, cleanliness.
5. Laboratory facilities and Instruction.
6. Dispensary facilities and Instruction.
7. Hospital facilities and Instruction, maternity work, autopsies, and specialties.
8. Faculty, number, and qualifications of trained teachers, full-time
instructors, and assistants, especially of the laboratory branches, organization, and extent of research work.
9. Extent to which the school is conducted for properly teaching
the science of medicine rather than for the profit of the faculty
directly or indirectly.
10. Possession and use made of libraries, museums, charts, and stereopticons.

Awards and Honors: July 28, 2009

Avnesh S. Thakor, MA, MB Bchir, PhD, a visiting scholar in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab, has been awarded an American Cancer Society International Fellowship for Beginning Investigators (ACSBI) from the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) for his research on Raman spectroscopy using SERS nanoparticles. One goal of ACSBI fellowships is to foster a bi-directional flow of research knowledge, experience, expertise, and innovation between countries. Dr. Thakor was awarded ACSBI fellowship for his research on Raman spectroscopy using SERS nanoparticles.

Dr. Thakor completed his PhD, in oxidative stress and vascular physiology, and his medical degree at the University of Cambridge. Currently, he is pursuing an MSc in cancer therapeutics at the University of London during his radiology residency. At Stanford, Dr. Thakor is applying his knowledge in oxidative stress and vascular biology to the molecular imaging of tumor biology. He has 20 published articles and over 30 peer-reviewed abstracts. In addition to the American Cancer Society International Fellowship, Dr. Thakor has received numerous other honors, including a 2009 European Association for Cancer Research Fellowship, 2008 British Institute of Radiology Philips Fellowship, and 2008 PEEL Medical Research Award.

Awards and Honors: July 24, 2009

John Ronald, PhD, a post doctoral scholar in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab (MMIL), has received a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowship, which is a three-year award that provides support for highly qualified candidates to complete health research either in Canada or abroad. Dr. Ronald received the Fellowship for his proposal, "Multimodality Cell Trafficking Imaging Using Optical Bioluminescent Imaging, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)."

Dr. Ronald received his BSc in physiology from the University of Western Ontario (UWO), graduating with honors. He remained at UWO to complete his MSc in anatomy and cell biology and his PhD thesis, "Magnetic Resonance Imaging Characterization of a Cholesterol-Fed Rabbit Model of Atherosclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease," in medical biophysics. Prior to coming to Stanford in June of 2009, Dr. Ronald was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Western Ontario in anatomy and cell biology. As a member of the MMIL, Dr. Ronald researches new techniques for improving the ability to non-invasively track cells or cell products in various diseases, particularly atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowship is just one of his many awards, which include the 2009 Canadian Governor General's Academic Gold Medal. He has also published over 10 peer-reviewed papers and more than 25 peer-reviewed abstracts.

In addition to his research, Dr. Ronald enjoys traveling, reading, poker, movies, golf, soccer, and rollerblading.

Awards and Honors: July 23, 2009

Qizhen Cao, PhD, postdoctoral scholar in the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory, received a Travel Award to attend the 56th Society of Nuclear Medicine's Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada from June 13th to June 17th, where she presented her study, "Phage Display Peptide Probes for Imaging Early Response to Antiangiogenic Treatment." Because her project demonstrates novel advances in molecular imaging, Dr. Cao's abstract was also chosen for presentation at the Basic Science Summary Session of the SNM. She 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.

Announcements: July 23, 2009

Stanford Summer Theater (SST) Electra Festival: July 23rd-August 15th at Memorial Auditorium. Stanford Summer Theater (SST) presents the Electra Festival, which explores one of the great mythic heroines through theater and film. The Festival begins on July 23rd and ends on August 15th and runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 PM with a Sunday matinee on August 9th at 2:00 PM. All events are at the Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University. For tickets and other information, please click here, call 650-725-5838, or stanfordsummertheater@gmail.com.

Awards and Honors: July 21, 2009

Anne Marie Sawyer, BS, RT(R)(MR), manager of the MR Whole Body Research Systems at the Richard M. Lucas Center for Imaging, has been appointed as member of the Food and Drug Administration's Circulatory System Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee. The Circulatory System Devices Panel "reviews and evaluates data concerning the safety and effectiveness of marketed and investigational devices for use in the circulatory and vascular systems and makes appropriate recommendations to the Commissioner of Food and Drugs." Ms. Sawyer was appointed to this panel in recognition of her enduring contributions to the safe and efficient operation of MR systems.

She began her career in magnetic resonance imaging in September of 1985 as . . .

an MR applications specialist for GE Medical Systems providing education on-site for customers with new installations and system upgrades. In 1987 and 1990, respectively, she served as supervisor (MR) and then manager (MR, CT, X-ray, nuclear medicine, and mammography) for applications specialists in the western region of the United States. In 1991, Ms. Sawyer became a member of MR Advanced Applications and Customer Support at GE Medical Systems headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where her primary responsibilities included assistance in the design and implementation of software, hardware, and imaging accessories; support for pre-product clinical evaluations; customer education; organization and direction of educational symposia; and development of educational material and tools.

In 1993, Ms. Sawyer began in the Stanford Department of Radiology as the manager of MR Whole Body Research Systems in the Radiological Sciences Laboratory at the Richard M. Lucas Center for Imaging. For over 16 years, she has provided technical, scientific, and educational consultation to researchers, as well as assistance in the design and direction of research studies conducted at the Lucas Center on the 1.5T, 3.0T#1, 3.0T#2 and 7.0T whole body MR systems. To support Lucas users and distribute MR-specific documentation, she maintains a website of her own design and conducts Stanford MR technologist symposia.

Ms. Sawyer has been a member of the Section for MR Technologists (SMRT) of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) since 1991 and has served as past president as well as chair and member of numerous committees. Because of her dedication to SMRT, she has been honored with elevation to Fellow of the Section and with the prestigious Honorary Membership of the SMRT in recognition of her major achievements in the field of magnetic resonance imaging. She is currently the editor of the SMRT accredited Home Study Program, Educational Seminars. Her published articles include over 50 peer-reviewed publications. In addition, she has delivered more than 50 invited lectures and co-authored three book chapters. Among Ms. Sawyer's numerous awards are the Crues-Kressel Award from the SMRT for her outstanding contributions to MR technologist education and a 3rd Place Poster Award at the 2006 Annual ISMRM Meeting. As manager of our Lucas magnet systems, she is nationally consulted regarding all aspects of MR safety and systems operation.

Awards and Honors: July 20, 2009

Christoph Lee, MD, has been named 1 of only 29 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars for 2010-2012, a highly prestigious and extremely competitive two-year fellowship in health policy. Through the Fellowship, outstanding young physicians "conduct innovative research and work with communities, organizations, practitioners and policymakers on issues important to the health and well-being of all Americans." Dr. Lee is the only radiologist to have been selected this year and is one of very few radiologists selected to participate since the beginning of the program in 1969. To read the press release announcing his award, please access http://rwjcsp.unc.edu/resources/pressreleases/2010-12_CSP_New_Scholars.pdf or Download file.

Dr. Lee earned his BA, graduating cum laude, from Princeton University, and received his MD from Yale University where he also graduated cum laude. He is currently completing his residency in diagnostic radiology at Stanford University. Prior to coming to Stanford, Dr. Lee managed a global tuberculosis initiative for Ralph Nader in Washington, D.C., and was an analyst for the Lewin Group, a national healthcare policy research and consulting firm. He has helped lead more than 10 different service organizations at the community, state, national, and international levels over the last decade. In addition, Dr. Lee is the author of multiple medical board review texts distributed internationally by McGraw-Hill & Co., and he is the first author of several original research articles regarding medical imaging health policy, which are published in leading peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Lee has also served on several national editorial and executive boards and is a recipient of numerous research and leadership awards, including the 2009 American Medical Association Foundation Leadership Award. As a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, Dr. Lee plans to examine diagnostic imaging from the perspectives of cost effectiveness, clinical effectiveness, and resource utilization. For his prior blog award, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/03/awards_and_hono_82.html.

Awards and Honors: July 17, 2009

Andrei Iagaru, MD; Erik Mittra, MD, PhD; and Michael Goris, MD, PhD, have received the 2009 Society of Nuclear Medicine Image of the Year Award for their image comprised of two sets of before-and-after PET scans of two patients, one of whom was treated with Iodine-131 tositumomab, and the other, with Yttrium-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan. The scans examine the effectiveness of two radioimmunotherapy agents in treating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). To view the image, please access http://interactive.snm.org/img/SNM-2009-Image-of-the-Year.jpg. Please see biographies for Drs. Iagaru and Mittra below.

Andrei Iagaru, MD, instructor of nuclear medicine, 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. He is currently an Instructor in the Department of Radiology and his current research interests include whole-Body MRI and PET/CT for early cancer detection; Zevalin/Bexxar radioimmunotherapy; optical imaging of breast cancer; clinical translation of novel PET radiopharmaceuticals; and PET-CT imaging for thyroid/breast cancers, melanoma, lymphoma, and sarcoma. For his prior blog posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/05/awards_and_hono_91.html and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/07/awards_and_hono_47.html.

Erik Mittra, MD, PhD, instructor of nuclear medicine, attended Stony Brook University Medical Scientist Training Program where he received his MD and PhD degrees in biomedical engineering as well as a master's degree in the anatomical sciences. After completing his internship in the Department of Internal Medicine at Stony Brook University Hospital, he finished his residency and fellowship in the Division of Nuclear Medicine at Stanford University Hospital and Clinics. In addition to the 2009 Society of Nuclear Medicine Image of the Year Award, Dr. Mittra has received the 2007 Radiological Society of North America Trainee Research Prize (co-author); was awarded 2007 Norman D. Poe Memorial Scholarship Award for Outstanding In-Training Oral Abstract at the 32nd Annual Western Regional Society of Nuclear Medicine Meeting (co-winner); and served as the Chief Nuclear Medicine Resident for 2007-2008. He has also published over 10 published manuscripts and 25 abstracts.

Awards and Honors: July 14, 2009

Laura Sasportas, PhD candidate in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Laboratory, has been awarded a Student Fellowship Award by the Society of Nuclear Medicine . She received this award for her proposal, "In Vivo Molecular Imaging of Circulating Tumor Cells and Early Invasion in a Human Cancer-Stem Cell Based Model of Breast Tumor." SNM Student Fellowship Awards support full-time participation in clinical and basic research activities for students who demonstrate outstanding competence in nuclear medicine and/or molecular imaging research.

A native of Strasbourg, France, Laura Sasportas completed two years of math and physics studies at the bachelor's degree level before entering Ecole Centrale Paris, which is a multidisciplinary engineering school. She was then selected for the Top Industrial Managers for Europe (T.I.M.E.) master's double degree program, Europe's leading network for the training of bi-cultural and bilingual engineers. In 2007, Ms. Sasportas received a Master of Science Engineering Diploma from the Ecole Centrale Paris, and a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich). At ETH Zurich, she specialized in bioimaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and molecular imaging. Dr. Sasportas completed her master's thesis at the Harvard Medical School Center for Molecular Imaging Research (MGH) in Boston, Massachusetts. Her thesis aimed at developing and imaging in vivo an anti-angiogenic therapy for malignant brain tumors using human neural stem cells as a delivery vehicle.

In 2008, Ms. Sasportas worked as a scientific associate at the Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research/Center for Proteomics Chemistry on the lead discovery platform in Basel, Switzerland. She was in charge of cell-line engineering and support of the imaging-based cellular assay development for high-throughput drug screening. Later that year, Ms. Sasportas was also awarded an International Fulbright Science and Technology Award grant to pursue a PhD in bioengineering at Stanford University, where she is currently enrolled.

Her hobbies include literature, theater, drawing, painting, swimming, hiking, and traveling.

Stanford Radiology Welcomes Visiting Scholar Dr. Emilio Sacristan

Emilio Sacristan, PhD, has joined the Lucas Center as a visiting professor for the 2009 calendar year. He is on sabbatical leave from the Metropolitan University in Iztapalapa, Mexico City, where he is a professor of biomedical engineering and the director of the Mexican National Center for Medical Instrumentation and Imaging Research. Dr. Sacristan was formerly a faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Yale University, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he also received his PhD in biomedical engineering. In addition, he is an entrepreneur, having founded Abdeo Medical and Critical Perfusion Inc., two Bay Area companies for which he also serves as a science advisor. While at Stanford, Dr. Sacristan is working with Dr. Dan Spielman's group, using hyperpolarized 13C to study ischemia-reperfusion of the gut in rats.

Dr. Sacristan has two daughters who are visiting the United States along with him and his wife, who is also a visiting scholar at Stanford. She is researching the epidemiology of mental health in adolescents with colleagues in the Psychology Department.

Meet Our SHC Radiologic Nurses

(L to R): Rachel Reyes RN, BSN, CEN; Selma Samayoa, RN, BSN, CCRN; Harmandeep (Harm) Madra, RN; Diane Herscher, RN; and Jo Miser, RN, BSN (not all nurses are pictured)

By Julie Ruiz, PhD

A relatively new field, radiologic nursing began at Stanford Hospital and Clinics (SHC) around late 1994 or early 1995 with one nurse, Stephanie Taylan, RN, who assisted mainly with computed tomography (CT) examinations. Today, our radiologic nursing team has grown to 15 nurses whose efforts are greatly improving patient care. Our nurses increase patient comfort through a focus on the whole patient, sedating patients for procedures (rather than merely administering a local anesthetic); assisting with contrast injections for patients undergoing CT and MRI exams; tracking patient labs; administering medications, such anti-anxiety drugs; and providing critical care for patients who may have allergic reactions or other complications. They also help keep everyone updated on the latest contrast injection techniques and the most modern types of central lines.

The increase in our radiologic nursing staff is partly due to the rapid growth in interventional radiologic (IR) procedures, particularly CT-guided IR examinations that require moderate sedation. Our nurses lend their skills to these IR procedures by starting IVs in patients and assessing their progress as well as by administering moderate sedation.

In the future, radiologic nurses will most likely be involved in areas such as gastrointestinal imaging and ultrasound. Already, our nurses assist with image-guided platelet rich plasma injections by drawing patients' blood and spinning it to separate the platelets so that a physician can inject them into the site of injury to promote healing. The radiologic nursing team will also be hosting an educational conference this August 2009 to educate hospital nurses about radiology. The objective of the conference is to provide information not being taught in nursing schools, which provide very few classes in radiology and very little information on how to assist in radiologic examinations.

Of our 15 radiologic nurses, 9 serve patients at SHC while the other 6 are distributed evenly between Blake Wilbur; Stanford Medicine Imaging Center (SMIC), Palo Alto; and Stanford Outpatient Imaging Center (SMOC), Redwood City. To learn more about some of our team members, . . .

please read their biographies below.

Harmandeep (Harm) Madra, RN, patient care manager, went to nursing school in British Columbia and chose nursing because he was inspired by his sister, who is also a nurse. He began his career in nursing working in the medical surgical units of a small community hospital and later, transferred to the emergency room (ER) and intensive care unit (ICU). In 2000, he decided to move to Palo Alto and applied for a nursing position in the Stanford Hospital and Clinics (SHC) ER and was hired. After six months, Mr. Madra was promoted to night assistant nurse manager, and eventually earned a specialty certificate in ER nursing. In early 2006, he decided he needed a change and joined the Radiology Department because he felt it was time to learn something new in a nursing field that was just emerging. It was challenging learning the new work flows and different examinations, but very rewarding. At Stanford, Mr. Madra is helping to develop the field of radiologic nursing. Along with the American Radiological Nurses Association (ARNA), he co-sponsored Stanford's first symposium in radiologic nursing in October of 2008, which attracted about 80 attendees from all over the Bay Area. His future plans include furthering his management career by completing his MBA at the College of Notre Dame in Belmont.

Dave Allan, RN, earned his nursing diploma in Glasgow, Scotland. He chose nursing because he wanted to work in a field where he could contribute by giving something back: "I took a job as an orderly in a cancer hospital after high school and from that experience, I migrated into a nursing program." After many years of serving as a nurse in the ER, ICU, and cardiac cath lab, Mr. Allan was looking for a change, and radiologic nursing seemed like a natural progression based on his background. So, after arriving at Stanford Hospital and Clinics in 2004 and working in the cath labs, he switched to Radiology in early 2006, and is now working at our newly opened Stanford Medicine Outpatient Center (SMOC) in Redwood City. His work is not without its challenges, which include successfully acquiring venous access in patients who are more anxious about getting intravenous contrast than the scan itself: "Because three-quarters of the exams we perform involve intravenous contrast, it's a skill that radiologic nurses have to master." Mr. Allan's work also involves trying to make the process less threatening and more comfortable for all patients, especially those who are receiving difficult diagnoses. Because of the patient-centered environment at SMOC, he is able to have quality interactions with the patients and their families and to provide information and educational resources to his patients. The greatest changes Mr. Allan has seen after more than 35 years in nursing include the rapid expansion of technology, greatly improved quality of imaging, and stunning image-guided noninvasive interventions. When he isn't working, Mr. Allan enjoys reading.

Patty, BSN, received her bachelor's of science in nursing from California State University at Fresno. She became interested in nursing because she loves to travel and meet people, and she began her career as a telemetry nurse in Roseville, CA. After a couple of years, Patty decided to cross-train as an emergency/trauma nurse and then moved to San Diego. Heightening her career as an emergency nurse, Patty started to travel through the opportunity provided by a local nursing company. In July of 2007, she was hired as a CT/body scanner nurse at Stanford Hospital and Clinics, where she was initially referred to as the "trailer nurse" because she worked with the mobile CT scanner located in a trailer. The transition from emergency to radiologic nursing was a welcomed change: "Having worked in California, Hawaii, and Boston, I had the opportunity to care for a variety of patients from different cultural backgrounds. SHC fits the international profile. I am so impressed with the high standards of patient care and diagnostic research being done in radiology." Patty is proud to be part of a superior medical facility and demonstrates professional nursing practice to all inpatients and outpatients requiring CT intervention. "I try to make the process as comfortable as possible when each patient comes in for a CT scan. I know when they leave the scan smiling or saying 'thank you,' I've accomplished a huge task, which means so much to them. I want to live up to Stanford's reputation by providing superior patient care, and I'm glad to be part of the team." Being part of a world-class Hospital has its challenges. Because the improvements in patient care occur so rapidly, there are always new protocols to learn and new patient-care techniques to implement. According to Patty, the future of radiologic nursing is moving towards more minimally invasive interventional radiologic procedures because they reduce the recovery time for patients and are cost effective. When she's not working, she loves to travel, hike, run, and spend time with her friends. Her future goal is to travel to third-world countries to set up healthcare clinics.

Cristina Cosim, BSN, RN, graduated from nursing school in the Philippines and began her nursing career in New York. Wanting to be closer to her family, she found work in 1987 at Stanford Hospital and Clinics (SHC). Cristina first worked in the E2ICU for four years and then in the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Perioperative Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) (recovery room). Desiring a change after 21 years at Stanford, Cristina transferred to SHC Radiology in July of 2008. She has enjoyed learning a whole new set of policies and procedures that were different from those she had acquired in the recovery room and ICU, and she relishes the variety radiologic nursing provides: "There's a multitude of patient interactions on the job, and I also get to work with a great group of technologists. I've learned a lot from them, and we couldn't get the job done without them." When she's not working, Cristina enjoys movies, reading, and watching sports, including tennis, football, baseball, and, especially, golf--mainly because she is a Tiger Woods' fan.

Marietta Escalona, RN, BSN, CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse), CRN (Certified Radiologic Nurse), graduated from St. Luke's College of Nursing in Quezon City in the Philippines. Her background is in telemetry/emergency nursing. Prior to coming to Stanford in September of 2006, she worked as a staff nurse at St. Mary's Medical Center, San Francisco, in emergency nursing and at the University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF) in interventional radiology. She continues to work at UCSF, while serving at Stanford. As a radiologic nurse, Ms. Escalona finds a new challenge every day by navigating difficult issues with patients' procedures and studies as well as doing all sorts of tasks not directly related to nursing: "It makes me feel good that my patients are getting better from their illnesses, and it makes me feel great when patients, family members, and colleagues express their appreciation for my hard work on their behalf." Because of her exceptional work in nursing, she was awarded the 2008 Betty Cretekos Scholarship Award by Friends of Nursing, a nonprofit organization that promotes professional excellence in nursing practice at Stanford by providing nurses with tuition or travel scholarships to attend national professional meetings. Ms. Escalona received her award at the SHC Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. This past March, she used the funds provided by her Betty Cretekos Scholarship to travel to the Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Conference and the Association for Radiological and Imaging Nursing Annual Conference in San Diego, California.

Diane Herscher, RN, was inspired to go into nursing by her daughter, who had cancer at the age of nine but recovered from it within two years: "It was a remarkable recovery and after experiencing all the struggles and triumphs, I chose to go into ER nursing. My daughter is now a nurse in the ER unit that I left." Ms. Herscher is from Chicago, where she has nine grandchildren, all under the age of five, and four adult children. During her career, she has also worked as a clinical director at a hospital in Alabama; served as a paramedic; and organized her own occupational healthcare agency. However, nursing remains her career of choice: "Nursing is different for me. It's important to me to make patients feel warm by doing small things that make them feel special like placing a warm blanket around their shoulders." While working as an ER nurse in Sacramento, Ms. Herscher was recruited to Stanford by Mr. Madra and has been working at Stanford since February 9, 2009: "I like Harm's leadership, so I decided to take the challenge and enter radiologic nursing, which is a whole new field for me. I enjoy the challenge of learning many new skills. The radiologic nursing staff at SHC feels like a family to me, and it's a great place to work because everyone cares about each other." When she's not working, Ms. Herscher enjoys being outdoors: hiking, water skiing, snow skiing, and boating.

Colleen Kawakami, RN, BSN, earned her bachelor's degree at the University of
California, San Francisco. Before coming to SHC, she worked in the Hematology/Oncology/ Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) clinic at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital for over 21 years. Since 2003, Ms. Kawakami has been a nurse in Radiology at SHC. What she enjoys most about radiologic nursing is getting to meet many different patients, outpatients as well as inpatients: "Because many of these patients have chronic illnesses while others are acutely ill, I try to help make their experience better. I feel that if I ever needed a procedure, I would want staff that cared about what they were doing and really wanted to help." When she's not helping patients, Ms. Kawakami likes to read and sew, as well as enjoy desserts.

Spencer Miller, RN, graduated from Florida Community College and has worked in ER nursing for 13 years, both as an avid travel nurse as well as on staff in hospitals in California, Florida, and Georgia. He has been a radiologic nurse at Stanford since February, and he enjoys radiologic nursing because he likes the technicality of procedures and the structured environment of the Radiology Department. Spencer's favorite part of being an RN is the feeling of accomplishment when someone's life is changed for the better, which he describes as "healing the sick, the second oldest profession!" The two biggest challenges he has faced in working as an RN have been the disappointing lack of a strong voice from nurses advocating for healthcare reform and the missing nurse-patient ratios in states other than California. Spencer feels that profit-driven healthcare leads to the inequitable treatment of patients. In addition to working at Stanford Radiology, he has published articles in Men in Nursing and Minority Nurse. Spencer lives in San Jose with his partner Tao, and two dogs: Teddy and BB.

Jo Miser, RN, BSN, (pictured on the left) is a native Californian who went to nursing school in New York to complete her degree. Although she had wanted to be a teacher, her aunt convinced her to become a nurse: "I think nursing has been a good thing for me. If you are very people oriented or a people person, you'll love it. I've met a lot of great people." After many years as a nurse in an operating room, ICU, and Emergency Department at Valley Medical Center, Ms. Miser needed a change. Recruited to SHC, she has worked at Stanford for over 20 years, mainly in outpatient surgery. Desiring a change, she transferred to Radiology in October of 2008, and she now works at Stanford Medicine Imaging Center (SMIC) in Palo Alto: "I've met a lot of great people here who have helped me make the transition to radiologic nursing. Some of the most challenging areas are starting IVs on patients who may not have the best venous access, but I enjoy trying to make patients feel comfortable and at ease. We have a lot of oncology patients coming back for scans, who are very apprehensive and worried. We hope for the best and try to convey that to the patient." The greatest changes Ms. Miser has seen over the course of her career are the shorter procedure and recovery times for patients: "Patients used to be admitted into the hospital for bowel surgery and prep, but now patients are doing this at home. In Radiology, we are doing a lot of procedures in CT scans such as kidney or liver biopsies, which are minimally invasive and require a shorter recovery time."

Lisa Parker, RN, has wanted to be a nurse since she was eight- or nine-years old. After working for over fourteen years as a nurse, Ms. Parker decided it was time to transfer from her job as a nurse in the oral and maxillofacial surgery unit at the University of California, San Francisco: "That's the wonderful thing about nursing. You can change jobs and go from one spectrum to the other by switching your specialty." After one and a half years at SHC as a radiologic nurse, Ms. Parker finds helping her patients through difficult situations very satisfying: "They are scared and nervous, and they often don't know what to expect. One of the joys is helping them through the process and making them feel calmer about the experience."

Rachel S. Reyes, RN, BSN, CEN, will be celebrating 11 years at Stanford in June 2009. Her career in nursing began through a friend's suggestion that Ms. Reyes volunteer at Seton Medical Center in the ER. She did, and her volunteer work helped her decide to become a nurse. After graduating from City College of San Francisco with an Associate Degree in Nursing, she was recruited to work at Kaiser. A year later, she moved to Stanford Hospital and worked on D/E Ground. Arriving at Stanford's ER eight years ago, Ms. Reyes was trained by Mr. Madra. With Stanford's Transformational Scholarship and with the flexibility of ED Management, Ms. Reyes was able to earn her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from San Francisco State University. Transferring to Radiology in January 2009, she is working with Mr. Madra once again: "I really enjoy participating in the collaborative care of our patients. I find it challenging and exciting to learn about caring for our patients in radiology, even though there is a learning curve because all the equipment and supplies are different than those in ER."

Selma Samayoa, RN, BSN, CCRN (critical care registered nurse) , completed her nursing degree at Cal State Hayward (which is now Cal State East Bay) after working as a music teacher for a number of years: "I enjoy science, biology, and physiology, so I chose nursing, thinking that I'd go back to music, but I don't teach anymore although I play the piano. I worked in the Stanford E2/ICU for over 21 years, but I hurt my back so I floated in SHC Radiology for one year to allow it to heal, and I never left." While she finds the rapid changes in radiologic technology challenging, Ms. Samayoa really enjoys working with her colleagues as a team and caring for her patients: "We do so many different types of scans that really improve patient care through noninvasive procedures. I love learning the latest techniques, and I find the new directions in radiologic nursing exciting." She still finds time for teaching, although not in the music field. Ms. Samayoa has been CCRN certified for over 28 years and holds a California Junior College Teaching Credential in Nursing. For five years, she has taught certification courses in critical care unit (CCU) nursing at Chabot College and Las Positas College. When she's not teaching or taking care of patients, Ms. Samayoa relishes playing tennis.

Dottie Sharff, RN, earned her nursing degree from City College of San Francisco and began working at Seton Medical Center. She subsequently moved to the Hawaiian Islands, where she opened up the Islands' first coronary care unit. She later worked in coronary care in Washington and Michigan and eventually came to California in 1972. After 27 years in the ER at Stanford, Ms. Sharff decided it was time for a change and transferred to Radiology in 2000: "Radiologic nursing is very different from anything else that I have done. Although there's a learning curve, once you understand the technology, it's really exciting. Noninvasive medicine is the wave of the future, and we are at the cutting-edge of these procedures." When she's not at work, she enjoys reading, gardening, traveling, and spending time at her summer home in Clearlake, California, where she boats and relaxes in the sun.

Laura Tracy, RN, was drawn to a medical career at an early age when she used to accompany her mother to Emory University, where her mother worked as a medical secretary. In high school, she joined a "Future Nurses Club" and decided to enlist in the army to complete her education. While serving as a medic at Ford Ord in Monterey, Ms. Tracy fell in love with the ocean and the California coastline. Although she had to return to Georgia to finish her education, she came back to California after completing her nursing degree and began working in the Stanford ER and trauma units in 1987. She has been working as a sexual assault nurse examiner for the County of Santa Clara for the past 13 years, and she started her own forensic business four years ago, after becoming a nationally certified forensic nurse examiner. She loves the mystery and detail of forensic medicine. For a little over one year, Ms. Tracy has worked in Radiology, which has always fascinated her. She particularly loves working at Stanford Medicine Imaging Center in Palo Alto: "I really love this particular Center because it caters to the patient by providing more opportunities to spend more time one-on-one with our patients. After working over 20 years in ER and trauma where we don't have as much time to spend with our patients, it's wonderful to be able to take the time to ask them how they are doing and feeling. It feels really good to be able to give them the extra special care they deserve, and the patients really appreciate it." Outside of work, Ms. Tracy doesn't have time for a lot of hobbies because she has two teenagers, but she does enjoy traveling. In the fall, she will be visiting the Galapagos Islands.

Lyndy Yee, RN, completed her degree and training in the United Kingdom. She began her seven-year career at Stanford working in the Pediatric ICU at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and then moved to the ER at Stanford Hospital and Clinics. Last week, she joined our Radiologic Nursing Team. Prior to coming to our Radiology Department, Ms. Yee had mainly worked with inpatients, so she is enjoying applying her skills, as well as learning new ones, in the outpatient setting. When she is not working, she enjoys hiking and camping with husband and her two sons (ages 7 and 13) as well as practicing yoga for her own rest and relaxation.

Awards and Honors: July 7, 2009

Francis Blankenberg, MD, associate professor of radiology and associate professor (by courtesy) of pediatrics, has been awarded stimulus funds by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his project, "scVEGF Targeted Radiotherapy of Primary and Metastatic Mammary and Colonic Carcinoma."

Dr. Blankenberg received his medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). After finishing a general surgical intership and his residency at Stanford University Hospital, . . .

he completed a pediatric fellowship at Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital. Dr. Blankenberg left Stanford to become a clinical instructor of computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the Department of Radiology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). In July of 2001, he returned to Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital as an assistant professor of radiology. Dr. Blankenberg has over 95 publications and 3 U.S. and foreign patents.

Dr. Blankenberg's research grant, "scVEGF Targeted Radiotherapy of Primary and Metastatic Mammary and Colonic Carcinoma," focuses on tumor vasculature, which has a unique set of markers including vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) receptors. Prior efforts to starve tumors by attacking these blood vessels with new, highly selective anti-VEGF drugs as single agents have been largely unsuccessful. Dr. Blankenberg and his colleagues propose to attach radiotherapeutic isotopes to a new form of VEGF known as scVEGF and to use this radiolabeled material to attack not only the tumor blood vessels/supply but also tumor cells. Successful completion of this proposal will be critical in laying the preclinical groundwork for a new class of tumor vessel radiotherapeutic agents that, by attacking a tumor on two fronts, will be more effective than current anti-VEGF drugs.

The grant will support the hiring of Helen D'Arceuil, PhD, visiting assistant professor from Harvard and former researcher at the Lucas Center, who has expertise in small animal imaging with MRI of ischemic injury and brain development. Dr. D'Arceuil will now be assisting with the current award by employing her over twenty years experience in small animal modeling and imaging. The grant will also support the continued work of Zoia Levashova, PhD, who has over twenty years of experience in biochemical and animal model work at NIH. Dr. Levashova has spent the last four years with Dr. Blankenberg in the Nuclear Medicine Imaging Laboratory, and she has performed most of the pilot work for the current grant application and will play a major role in the successful execution of our proposal.

To read more about the award, please access "First Round of NIH Stimulus Funds Includes 18 Projects at Stanford School of Medicine."

Welcome to Our New Chief Residents!

Congratulations to our three new chief residents who will begin their duties in July of 2009: Chivonne Harrigal, MD; Kendra Klang, MD; and Andy McBride, MD.

Andy McBride, MD, grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attended college at the University of Notre Dame. After graduating four years later, Andy attended medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, where he met his wife while she was completing her master's degree in psychology. During his fourth year of medical school, he worked for McKinsey & Company in management consulting. After he completed his internship in Philadelphia, Andy and his wife moved to California, where he began our Residency Program, and she began working as a Human Resource Business Partner at Google. They were married in April of 2009 and now live in Menlo Park. Andy's activities outside of work include golfing, traveling,running, and Notre Dame football.

Awards and Honors: June 25, 2009

Jin Xie, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory (MIPL), has been awarded a Travel Award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM). The purpose of the SNM Travel Awards is to provide support to nuclear medicine scientists for presenting innovative work at the SNM Annual Meeting. Dr. Xie will use his award to attend the 56th Society of Nuclear Medicine Annual Meeting from June 13 to June 17 in Toronto, Canada.

In June 2008, Dr. Xie received his PhD from Brown University, where his research centered on magnetic nanoparticle synthesis, characterization, and surface modification as well as the magnetic nanoparticle interplay with biomolecules and their applications in molecular imaging and drug delivery. Moving to Stanford in July 2009, he joined Dr. Xiaoyuan Chen's group as a Stanford postdoctoral fellow in the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory (MIPL), where he has been working on the development of magnetic nanoparticle-based probes for MRI. Since then, Dr. Xie has extended his research interests to many other areas, such as NIRF, PET, stem cell, etc., and he is currently working on developing nanoparticle-based activatable probe development and on creating probes that are suitable for multi-modality purposes. When he is not in the lab, Dr. Xie enjoys electronic games. He is also a fan of soccer and karaoke.

Awards and Honors: June 22, 2009

Sri-Rajasekhar (Raj) Kothapalli, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab, has been appointed to a Hamalainen Pelican Postdoctoral Fellowship by the Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation. This postdoctoral fellowship supports innovative research, clinical trials, and applied methods for improving the detection, management, and non-invasive treatment of prostate cancer, with a particular focus on the development of multimodal (photoacoustic, optical, and ultrasound) molecular imaging techniques for obtaining rigorous and comprehensive information about early stage prostate cancer.

Dr. Kothapalli received his bachelor of science degree in mathematics, physics, & chemistry from Nagarujuna University, India, followed by his master of science degree in nuclear physics from Andhra University, India, and his master of technology degree in applied optics from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

Before receiving his master of science in applied physics from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, Dr. Kothapalli worked for an Indian defense organization developing optical pattern recognition techniques. While at the University of Massachusetts, he applied these pattern recognition techniques to medical imaging processing in areas such as mammography. His master's work piqued his interest in medical imaging, so he attained his PhD in biomedical engineering at Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri, where he focused on developing a hybrid imaging modality that combines the advantages of both optics (high contrast) and ultrasound (excellent resolution and penetration depth). Working under the mentorship of Dr. Sanjiv Gambhir, Dr. Kothapalli plans to apply his background in physics and engineering to develop multimodal molecular imaging techniques for the early detection of cancer, with a particular emphasis on prostate cancer.

In his spare time, he enjoys playing tennis in the summer; squash in the winter; and listening to inspirational music.

Awards and Honors: June 15, 2009

Keren Ziv, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab, has received a Life Sciences Research Foundation Fellowship (LSRF), which is bestowed upon young scientists who perform the highest quality of research.

Prior to joining Dr. Gambhir's Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab, Dr. Ziv was a postdoctoral scholar in Professor Michal Neeman's lab at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel. She received both her PhD and master's degrees from the Department of Biological Regulation of the Feinberg Graduate School at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. Her PhD research focused on the functional and molecular imaging of gene expression.

Dr. Ziv is the coauthor of seven publications as well as the recipient of many honors including the 2007 Auto Swartz Award and the 2008 AFLACAACR International Scholar-in-Training Award supported by Aflac, Inc.

"Sanford/Atlas: Alternatives to Government Health Takeover"

In their June 15th opinion piece published in The Washington Times, Governor Mark Sanford and Dr. Scott Atlas offer their views on healthcare reform: "government-run health systems by and large fail the very patients they were created to protect. In these systems, access to doctors, surgeries and new lifesaving treatments are severely limited. Innovation is discouraged, and medical technologies are deficient, forcing patients to undergo more invasive and dangerous care. Patient outcomes are worse, and costs keep escalating." To read the full article, please access http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/15/raise-quality-further/ or Download file.

Chief Resident Pat Basu Named Consultant of the Year

Dr. Basu has been awarded the Stanford/Kaiser Emergency Medicine Residency Program's highly prized "Consultant of the Year" Award, which is "dedicated to the consultant who, on a regular basis, acts in the best interest of Emergency Department patient care through clinical knowledge, action, teaching, and leadership." He is the first radiologist to win this award. A few of the many attributes for which Dr. Basu was commended include his outstanding radiologic communication, unusual ability to build consensus, as well as his extraordinary leadership and vision. His unique talents have earned him the universal respect of his peers who nominated him for this award, which he will receive at a special banquet on June 19th. "I highly value teamwork, leadership, and interpersonal skills and to be recognized for those skills is a great honor," Dr. Basu commented. "I am happy to be able to represent the Department and the profession with this accolade. Even though this is an individual recognition, I truly believe it is a team accomplishment."

Awards and Honors: June 10, 2009

Gang Niu, PhD, postdoctoral scholar in the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory (MIPL), has been awarded a Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) Travel Award to attend the 56th Society of Nuclear Medicine Annual Meeting from June 13 to June 17 in Toronto, Canada. The purpose of the SNM Travel Awards is to provide support to nuclear medicine scientists for presenting innovative work at the SNM Annual Meeting. Dr. Niu received his PhD in free radical radiation biology from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, where his research focused on molecular imaging and tumor gene therapy, mediated by the human sodium iodide symporter (hNIS), to investigate the role of hNIS as a reporter gene monitoring gene transfer and expression. After arriving at Stanford in 2006, he began working in the MIPL under the supervision of Dr. Xiaoyuan Chen. Dr. Niu's current research interests include the investigation of tumor initiation and the progress and response to various therapies with non-invasive molecular imaging strategies, including optical and radiological modalities.

Awards and Honors: June 9, 2009

Jeremy Pearl, Stanford medical student and member of the Cardiovascular Gene and Cell Therapy Group, has been awarded a second-year fellowship to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Fellowship recipients are selected because they have shown "the greatest promise for future achievement in biomedical research" and "have demonstrated superior scholarship." Mentored by Joe Wu, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine (cardiology) and radiology, and Mark M. Davis, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology, Mr. Pearl was initially awarded a first-year HHMI Fellowship in 2008. In 2009, he was one of a few select fellows who was given a second-year HHMI fellowship because of his outstanding biomedical research on the immunogenic properties of human embryonic stem cells.

Before beginning medical school at Stanford, Mr. Pearl graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, San Diego, with a BS in human biology. In addition to the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Medical Student Fellowships, he was acquired numerous honors, including the 2007 Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation Research Fellowship. Mr. Pearl is also the first named inventor on the patent "Methods for the Control of Macrophage-Associated Inflammation" (S07-398 (STAN-593) 12/397, 925), and the co-author of over 15 abstracts, posters, and oral presentations as well as 5 publications, including "Seeing Is Believing: Tracking Cells to Determine the Effects of Cell Transplantation" (Pearl J, Wu JC) in Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (2008;20(2):102-109). When he is not working, Mr. Pearl enjoys playing and watching all sports, particularly basketball.

Awards and Honors: June 3, 2009

Amelie Lutz, MD, PhD, clinical instructor of Radiology and research scientist in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab, has received the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research Scholar Award for her project "Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer Using Targeted Microbubble-Enhanced Ultrasound." To promote career development, the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research Scholar Award is bestowed upon young researchers in the field of ovarian cancer, whose projects have translational potential.

Before becoming a CE and research scientist, Dr. Lutz was a postdoctoral fellow in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Laboratory at Stanford. She received her medical degree from the University of Freiburg, Germany, and completed her internship in internal medicine in the Department of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology at the University Hospital in Freiburg, Germany. Dr. Lutz did her training in diagnostic radiology at the University Hospital in Zurich and at the Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, Kantonal Hospital, in Frauenfeld, Switzerland.

In addition to the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research Scholar Award, Dr. Lutz has received numerous honors, including the 2008 Bronze Award from the European Society of Gastrointestinal Radiology (co-author) and the 2004 Swiss Society of Radiology Research Award for her paper "Ultra Small Superparamagnetic Oxide (USPIO) Enhanced MR Imaging for Detection of Macrophage Activity in an Experimental Model of Antigen-Induced Arthritis," which is one of her 27 peer-reviewed publications. Her clinical and research interests include: musculoskeletal radiology and interventions; body imaging with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging; molecular imaging in oncology; cellular imaging of musculoskeletal inflammatory diseases; and kinematic musculoskeletal imaging. When she is not working, Dr. Lutz enjoys life as a new mom with her family.

For her prior blog award posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/02/awards_and_hono_18.html.

Awards and Honors: June 2, 2009

Juergen K. Willmann, MD, assistant professor of radiology (abdominal imaging) and head of the Translational Molecular Imaging Laboratory, has received the highly prestigious Walter Friedrich Award at the 90th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Radiology in Berlin. The award was named in honor of Dr. Walter Friedrich, a 1914 Nobel Laureate. Awarded only once each year, the Walter Friedrich Award was bestowed upon Dr. Juergen K. Willmann for his outstanding research in the field of radiology.

Prior to becoming an assistant professor at Stanford, Dr. Willmann was a research fellow in the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS) while concurrently an assistant professor of diagnostic radiology at the Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. He received his MD from the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Germany, and was the chief resident of diagnostic radiology at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. Under his leadership, the Translational Molecular Imaging Lab focuses on multimodality molecular imaging of angiogenesis and stem cell therapy as well as the development of multi-modality imaging approaches for the early detection of cancer. When he is not working, Dr. Willmann enjoys his life as a new Dad and plays the piano. To read Dr. Willmann's prior award postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/04/awards_and_hono_79.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/01/awards_and_hono_73.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/11/awards_and_hono_61.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/05/awards_and_hono_38.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/12/awards_and_hono_21.html; and
http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/02/awards_and_hono_18.html.

Did You Know?

CT Scans and War

For the first time in war, CT scans are being used in autopsies according to Denise Grady of the New York Times: "Since 2004, every service man and woman killed in Iraq or Afghanistan has been given a CT scan, and since 2001, when the fighting began in Afghanistan, all have had autopsies, performed by pathologists in the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System. In previous wars, autopsies on people killed in combat were uncommon, and scans were never done." To read the full article from May 25, 2009, please access "Autopsies of War Dead Reveal Ways to Save Others" or Download file.

Announcements: May 28, 2009

Third Annual Cardinal Walk: Friday, May 29, 2009, from 11:30 AM to 1 PM at Roble Field on Santa Teresa Street.

Event Schedule
11:30--Free t-shirts for first 1,500 walkers and free music and refreshments (No registration required!).

11:35--Spirit Contestants must check-in.

11:45--Spirit Contest judging on creativity and enthusiasm (trophies awarded)

12:05--Provost Welcome

12:10 to 1 PM--Campus Walk

For more information, please access http://stanford.wellsphere.com/3rd-annual-cardinal-walk-community/249295.

Awards and Honors: May 26, 2009

Andrei Iagaru, MD, instructor of nuclear medicine, received the Alavi-Mandell Award from the Society of Nuclear Medicine for his paper "90Y-Ibritumomab Therapy in Refractory Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Observations from 111In-Ibritumomab Pretreatment Imaging." Dr. Iagaru's article is featured on the cover of and published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine (2008 Nov;49(11):1809-12. Epub 2008 Oct 16). The Alavi-Mandell Award "honors the work of a young investigator who is pursuing a career in nuclear medicine" and will be presented to Dr. Iagaru at the 2009 SNM Annual Meeting in Toronto.

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. He is currently an Instructor in the Department of Radiology and his current research interests include whole-Body MRI and PET/CT for early cancer detection; Zevalin/Bexxar radioimmunotherapy; optical imaging of breast cancer; clinical translation of novel PET radiopharmaceuticals; and PET-CT imaging for thyroid/breast cancers, melanoma, lymphoma, and sarcoma.

For his prior blog posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/07/awards_and_hono_47.html.

Awards and Honors: May 21, 2009

Roland Bammer, PhD, along with his collaborators Drs. Fischbein, and Moseley, has received R01 grant funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for his project, "Novel Acquisition Methods for Diffusion MRI." This is one of the first ARRA awards in the School of Medicine. The goal of Dr. Bammer's research project is to improve pediatric imaging by developing diffusion-weighted 3D spiral projection imaging for high-resolution 3D SSFP and SE DTI at 3T, reducing distortions related to motion and susceptibility differences. This past winter 2009, Dr. Bammer, along with his collaborators Drs. Atlas, Barnes, and Moseley, also received R01 funding for his project "Short Axis EPI for Diffusion Tensor MRI at High Field," which focuses on developing new types of EPI sequences for high resolution, low SAR, diffusion tensor imaging at 3T and 7T using parallel receive and parallel transmit technology. The success of his research projects will significantly improve MR exams in both children and adult patients by reducing the overall scan time; improving the diagnostic capacity of the images; and providing an alternative contrast mechanism and the means to understand more clearly the underlying tissue microstructure, particularly in terms of how it is composed and how the brain is anatomically/functionally connected with different regions.

For his prior blog posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/09/awards_and_hono_2.html.

Awards and Honors: May 20, 2009

Natesh Parashurama, MD, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab, received a Young Investigator Award at the International Society for Cellular Therapy 2009 Annual Meeting for his presentation "Stably Expressed Multimodality Fusion Reporter Genes For Tracking Mesenchymal Stem Cell Status in Hearts of Living Subjects." These merit-based Awards are offered to select Young Investigators submitting abstracts.

Dr. Parashurama received his BS in chemical engineering from MIT and his medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Subsequently, he completed his PhD in chemical bioengineering at Rutgers University. While earning his PhD, he completed a three and a half-year graduate fellowship at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Parashurama's research interests include using multimodality imaging of stem cell functions for both enhanced understanding of the biology of stem cells and for translating these techniques to the clinic. These functions include cell homing and differentiation; the application of quantitative molecular imaging tools to study cell proliferation and differentiation; cell function; the cellular micro-environment; cell trafficking; the immune response; and cell-mediated gene therapy. For his prior blog posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/01/awards_and_hono_74.html and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/02/awards_and_hono_28.html.

Announcements: May 20, 2009

Stanford Blood Center's Grateful Life Tour, May 22nd, 23rd, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th; June 26th, 27th, 29th, and 30th; and July 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th at all Stanford Blood Center locations: For the fifth consecutive year, the Stanford Blood Center is sponsoring the "Grateful Life Tour" blood drive ("Grateful Life Tour V") in which blood donors will get to choose either the traditional tie dye t-shirt with the "Giving is Groovy Grateful Life Tour V" design or a brand new design featuring "recylce life. give blood" on a 100% organic cotton t-shirt. The Grateful Life Tour will take place on May 22nd, 23rd, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th; June 26th, 27th, 29th, and 30th; and July 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th. For more information please access http://bloodcenter.stanford.edu/news/special_events.html#GLT. For maps and directions for all Stanford Blood Centers, please access http://bloodcenter.stanford.edu/bcinfo/maps.html.

Awards and Honors: May 18, 2009

Kim Butts Pauly, PhD, associate professor of radiology and of bioengineering (by courtesy), was recently recognized as Fellow of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) at the 20009 annual meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii. Dr. Butts Pauly was made a Fellow of the ISMRM for her "significant and substantial contributions to research" in her field.

Dr. Butts Pauly received her PhD in biophysical sciences from Mayo Graduate School. She was a postdoctoral research fellow in our Department, becoming an assistant professor of radiology in 1996. Dr. Butts Pauly's current research interests are focused on image-guided minimally invasive therapies, including MR-guided high intensity focused ultrasound and MR-guided cryoablation. She has published her work in over 75 peer-reviewed publications. When Dr. Butts Pauly is not working, she enjoys gardening, traveling with her family, and reading with her kids.

Did You Know?

Glimpse of Radiologists in 1938
(from "The Economics of the Practice of Radiology" in JAMA, V. 113, N. 10; 1939:943-948)

--The total number of radiologists in the United States had grown by 118%, increasing from 1,005 in 1931 to 2,191 in 1938.

(According to a survey of 876 radiologists in "The Economics of the Practice of Radiology":)

--The average age of the surveyed radiologists was 49 years old and the mean number of years of specialization was 18.

--In 102 hospitals, "roentgenologic interpretations" were made by someone other than the radiologist while in 1,148 hospitals, the "roentgenologic interpretations" were made "only by specialists in radiology."

--25% of the radiologists who also practiced in some other field were likely to have chosen (in order of frequency) general practice, surgery, internal medicine, or pathology.

--There were proportionately more radiologists in the Mid-Atlantic (704) and Pacific (192) sections than in the North West Central (172) and East South Central (86) states.

--Most radiologists (640 or 73%) worked part-time in one or more hospitals, and most fees for the services of radiologists were included in the hospital bills sent to patients.

Dr. Vasanawala and Colleagues Receive the Prestigious Caffey Award

Dr. Shreyas Vasanawala, assistant professor of pediatric radiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine and co-director of pediatric MRI at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, was awarded the Caffey Award for Outstanding Basic Science Research Paper at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Radiology in Carlsbad, California, on April 24, 2009. The award was in recognition of his scientific paper "Faster Pediatric MRI Via Compressed Sensing."
His collaborators included . . .

Marcus Alley, PhD; Richard A. Barth, MD; Brian Hargreaves, PhD; John Pauly, PhD; and Michael Lustig, PhD. Please find short biographies of some of his collaborators below.

The Caffey Research Award is presented annually for the best original research to advance the care of children via imaging. The highly regarded Caffey Award recognizes Dr. Vasanawala's work for exploring a novel MRI method that is faster and permits higher resolution imaging with less motion-related blurring. This is highly relevant to the pediatric population as it holds tremendous promise for performing MRI either without or with substantially reduced sedation or anesthesia.

Dr. Vasanawala joined the Department of Radiology faculty in July of 2007, after receiving his degree and a PhD in biophysics from Stanford University, followed by residency training in radiology at Stanford University Medical Center and a pediatric radiology fellowship at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH). During his fellowship, Dr. Vasanawala received specialty training in pediatric musculoskeletal imaging at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and in pediatric cardiovascular imaging at Sick Kids in Toronto. At Stanford, Dr. Vasanawala's research aims to improve magnetic resonance imaging techniques for evaluating pediatric disease.

The Caffey Awards, established in 1969 as the "John Caffey Award Paper," are named in honor of John P. Caffey, MD, who is widely recognized as the father of pediatric radiology. He defined pediatric radiology as a specialty by writing the seminal text book, Pediatric X-Ray Diagnosis. First published in 1945, the book has remained in print continuously since then. The 11th edition was recently published (2008) as Caffey's Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging, 30 years after Dr. Caffey's death. John Caffey's enormous contributions to radiology and pediatrics improved the well being of children and are gratefully acknowledged through the recognition of excellent scientific and clinical work in the specialty he engendered.

(Text above is from the Packard Media Group, for release on April 27, 2009.)

Marcus Alley, PhD, senior research scientist, received his BA in physics from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and his MS (physics) and PhD (nuclear physics) from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he completed his thesis entitled "An Effective Range Determination of Phase Shifts for the Elastic Proton Helium-3 Reaction between the Energies of 0 and 12 MeV." Dr. Alley has been a member of the Stanford Department of Radiology since 1994, when he began as a postdoctoral fellow mentored by Norbert Pelc, ScD. After completing his postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Alley worked as an MR applications and software developer, and, in May of 2005, he became a senior research scientist in our Department. His current research involves developing MRI with compressed sensing for body and pediatric imaging. His past awards include a third place Scientific Paper Award for his paper entitled "Measurement of T1 of Flowing Blood, Extraction Fraction of Gd-DTPA and Single-Kidney GFR Using Interleaved Spiral Acquisition" from the Society of Uroradiology, Twenty-Fifth Scientific Assembly, in 2000. Dr. Alley also has over 35 publications and 7 patents.

Brian Hargreaves, PhD, assistant professor of radiology, completed his doctoral degree in electrical engineering at Stanford University. In 2005, he joined the Stanford Radiology Department faculty. Dr. Hargreaves' research focuses on body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications (including abdominal, vascular, breast, and musculoskeletal imaging) and the development of novel excitation schemes, efficient imaging methods, and reconstruction tools that provide improved diagnostic contrast compared with current methods. Aside from work, he plays ice hockey and soccer, and he is on the volunteer ski patrol at Sugar Bowl ski resort. To view Dr. Hargreaves' pior blog postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/02/drs_gold_and_ha_2.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/01/drs_gold_and_ha.html; and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/04/awards_and_hono_31.html.

Michael Lustig, PhD, engineering research associate, received his BSc in 2001 from the Department of Electrical Engineering, in Technion-IIT, Haifa, Israel. He completed his PhD in 2008 from the Department of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University, where his doctoral research focused on the application of compressed sensing to rapid MRI. Currently, he is a research associate in the Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Lab (MRSRL) in the Stanford Department of Engineering, where his research interests include medical imaging reconstruction, MR pulse sequence design, convex optimization, and inverse problems.

Awards and Honors: May 6, 2009

Zheng Miao, PhD, postdoctoral scholar in the Cancer Molecular Imaging Chemistry Laboratory, has been granted the First Prize in Basic Science Award for his abstract entitled "A Protein Scaffold Based Molecule for EGFR PET Imaging" from the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM). He will receive his award at the SNM Annual Meeting, which will be held in Toronto, Canada, on June 14-17, 2009.

As a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford, his research focuses on the application of scaffold protein in molecular imaging. Dr. Miao's other areas of specialization include protein engineering; the synthesis of synthesis of bifunctional metal chelates and of peptides and analogs, with solid phase resin; and the conjugation of proteins and peptides to solid surface resin as well as the cross-linking of proteins. Most recently, he published a research article in Bioconjugate Chemistry: "Cysteinylated Protein as Reactive Disulfide: An Alternative Route to Affinity-Labeling" (2008;19;15-19).

Dr. Miao received his PhD in biophysical chemistry from the University of California, Davis, where he completed his dissertation entitled "Synthesis and Medical Application of Bifunctional Metal Chelates." When he's not working, Dr. Miao enjoys hiking, rafting, and sports. One of his other favorite activities, he commented, is "spending time with my lovely family."

National Nurses Week, May 6-12, 2009, "Nurses: Building a Healthy America"

Sponsored by the American Nurses Association, National Nurses Week 2009, "Nurses: Building a Healthy America," is celebrated each year from May 6th to May 12th. The American Nurses Association characterizes the importance of this week as follows: "Often described as an art and a science, nursing is a profession that embraces dedicated people with varied interests, strengths and passions because of the many opportunities the profession offers. As nurses, we work in emergency rooms, school based clinics, and homeless shelters, to name a few. We have many roles--from staff nurse to educator to nurse practitioner and nurse researcher--and serve all of them with passion for the profession and with a strong commitment to patient safety."

The week of May 6th to 12th was chosen because of its special significance to nursing. May 12th is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing; May 6th is also known as National Nurses Day; May 8th was designated in 1998 as National Student Nurses Day, which is also celebrated annually; and in 2003, the Wednesday within National Nurses Week (May 6th-12th) was designated as National School Nurse Day. For more information on the history and significance of National Nurses Week, please access http://www.nursingworld.org/FunctionalMenuCategories/MediaResources/
NationalNursesWeek/NNWHistory.aspx.

Our radiologic nurses at Stanford Hospital and Clinics are dedicated professionals, building a healthy America one patient at a time. During National Nurses Week 2009, our nurses will be honored by a special lunch and dessert. In recognition of National Nurses Week, some of our nurses have created posters that are on display in the SHC atrium. Please stop by to view them.

Announcements: May 5, 2009

Organizational Meeting (5/6) for Kids Day at Clark: Wednesday, May 6, 2009, from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM in Clark, S360. Bring your planning ideas to the meeting as we organize the Friday, June 12th, "Kids Day at Clark." Join us to discuss how to make an impact for the next generation of scientists and engineers! If you want to get involved, but you can't make it to the meeting, please write to: Jill Sakata.

Announcements: May 1, 2009

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer: Saturday and Sunday, July 11-12, 2009, from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Sausalito waterfront and back again. Registrants will walk up to 26.2 miles on Saturday and 13.1 miles on Sunday. For information on how to register, please access http://walk.avonfoundation.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sanf_home_2k8.

Stanford Routs UCSF in Flag Football

(Images courtesy of Pat Basu, MD)

With veteran leaders Sandip "notorious Biz" Biswal and Gary "the Grid-Iron" Glazer on the injured reserve, there were questions about whether #1 ranked Stanford could beat revenge-minded and #2 ranked UCSF on their home field (for the full story, please see the July 19, 2008, "Stanford-UCSF Softball Challenge" at http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/07/stanforducsf_so_1.html). However, Stanford just had too much firepower as the Cardinal left no doubt in their 42-12 rout in front of a sell-out crowd. The Cardinal Radiologists racked up over 600 yards of offense and . . .

45:13 in time of possession to go with their 7 touchdowns.

A sign of things to come, captain and quarterback Pat "Peanut Butta" Basu took the opening kick-off deep inside UCSF territory. Subsequently, Andy "gimme the dang ball" Mcbride caught a touchdown in the corner of the endzone setting up Cam Tran's 1-point conversion catch to take an early 7-0 lead, and the Cardinal never looked back. Deep threats Mcbride, Ray Hsu, and Cam Tran were complemented by sure-handed receivers Chris Bealieu and Ivan Petrovich. With the hurry-up offense in action, an audible at-the-line-isolated Petrovich on UCSF's dual sport star Ron Aronson for a 13-0 lead, and Beaulieu's "Jack Clark"-like catch for the PAT made it 14-0. Beaulieu, who was picked up as a free agent from the 49ers, said "Hey, I just want the niners to see what they lost by not protecting me as their franchise player. In football, there are BMWs and there are yugos, I see us as a BMW."

Basu completed passes to 8 different receivers and finished the game 25-36, passing for 492 yards completing 4 touchdowns passing, 2 touchdowns running, and with no interceptions or sacks. After the game, Basu added, "they have a great team, we just wanted to come out and compete. I just want to credit my offensive line and our defense for setting the tone out there today. Those guys deserve the game ball. There is no 'I' in team . . . ." Unfortunately, our recorder ran out of memory for his 8-minute quote.

An Andy Mcbride 30-yard reception and a Craig "still has wheels" McCormick's 20-yard end around set up another score early in the second half that put the game out of reach. Justus Roos caught the conversion in the flat and dove rugby style into the back of the endzone punctuating the dominating performance. Mcbride, fueled by a pre-game debate over who the better Mcbride is, him or his fiance, Andrea, solidified his #1 household ranking with 11 catches for 197 yards and 2 TDs.

An opportunisitic and stingy Stanford defense held the overmatched UCSF squad scoreless until less than 10 minutes left in the game. The Scottish connection of Mcbride and McCormick had two key interceptions in the first half while the game was still close. The aggressive defensive line showed flashes of brilliance from the future of the Cardinal squad--rookies Jared Narvid, Mike Kim, and the Twindian Terrors Srihari and Srinath Sampath who harassed and confused the UCSF quarterback into several interceptions. Sampath said after the game, "We'll play them anytime, anywhere--we'll even play them in the lab. I don't care whose field this is; as far as I'm concerned it's always OUR house."

Seena "Big D" Dehkargani, Ray "Lewis" Hsu, and Cam "the train" Tran racked up tackles for the staunch Stanford defense. In the end, the UCSF players were gracious and their captain vowed to recruit some better athletes in this week's upcoming NFL Match Day. In any case, they will try to avoid the season sweep when the two teams collide in sand volleyball later this year. Until then, the Stanford Radiology Department retains its undefeated record against their rivals from the North with thrashings in both softball and flag football.

Awards and Honors: April 22, 2009

Dr. Shreyas Vasanawala, assistant professor of radiology, has received the Morgridge Scholar Grant, which is awarded to scientists whose research promises to "create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology." Dr. Vasanawala joined the Department of Radiology faculty in July of 2007, after receiving his degree and a PhD in biophysics from Stanford University, followed by residency training in radiology at Stanford University Medical Center and a pediatric radiology fellowship at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH). During his fellowship, Dr. Vasanawala received specialty training in pediatric musculoskeletal imaging at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and in pediatric cardiovascular imaging at Sick Kids in Toronto. At Stanford, Dr. Vasanawala's research focus includes testing the feasibility of magnetic resonance imaging techniques for evaluating pediatric and abdominal disease. His proposal focuses on reducing sedation or anesthesia for pediatric MRI. For his prior blog postings, please access
http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/03/awards_and_hono_78.html;
http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/02/awards_and_hono_76.html;
http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/07/awards_and_hono_43.html;
and
http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/07/new_faculty_hir.html.

Awards and Honors I: April 20, 2009

Zhen Cheng, PhD, head of the Cancer Molecular Imaging Chemistry Laboratory (CMICL), has been awarded a Young Investigator Award by the Melanoma Research Alliance, which supports "outstanding young investigators whose work shows great promise in the field of melanoma research." Dr. Cheng received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Sichuan University. He also holds an MS from the National Research Center of Isotope Engineering and Technology & China Institute of Atomic Energy and a PhD from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Missouri-Columbia. From 2001 to 2003, he was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Radiology at Harvard Medical School. His awards include a California Breast Cancer Research Program-IDEA Award in 2008; a Young Investigator Travel Scholarship to attend the 2005 Academy of Molecular Imaging Annual Conference; and a 1997-1998 graduate fellowship at the University of Missouri-Columbia. As head of the Cancer Molecular Imaging Chemistry Laboratory (CMICL) of MIPS, he is developing novel molecular imaging probes and non-invasive techniques for the early detection of cancer and its metastasis. He is also researching the molecular, metabolic, and physiological characteristics of cancers and their responses to therapy by identifying novel cancer biomarkers with significant clinical relevance; by devising new chemistry for the preparation of probes; and by validating new strategies for probes by using high-throughput screening. For his prior blog posting, please access
http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/01/new_faculty_hir_3.html.

(Image courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)

Awards and Honors II: April 20, 2009

Kazim Narsinh, research fellow in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Laboratory (MMIL), was awarded the 2009 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Research Fellowship. Bestowed upon outstanding medical students, the HHMI Fellowship helps further promising careers in translational research. Mr. Narsinh's research interests include the molecular imaging of human embryonic stem cells, and he has recently coauthored two in press articles: "Application of Reporter Gene Imaging for Studying Human Embryonic Stem Cells in Living Subjects" (Methods in Molecular Biology 2009 vol. 515) and "Comparisons of Gene Transfer Efficiency in Human Embryonic Stem Cells" (Molecular Imaging and Biology 2009). In addition to working as a research fellow in the MMIL, Mr. Narsinh is currently a medical student at the University of San Diego, (UCSD), School of Medicine, where he is the manager of the Cardiology Clinic as well as a member of the UCSD Student-Run Free Clinic and the Global Health Interest Group. Prior to attending medical school, he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a Bachelor of Arts in biochemistry. When not working, Mr. Narsinh enjoys playing tennis and tabla, a hand drum.

Announcements: April 17, 2009

CCNE Nano-Bio Seminar Series Presents Donald E. Ingber, MD, PhD, "From Biological Design Principles to Bioinspired Nanotechnologies": Tuesday, April 21st; Seminar & Discussion from 4:30-5:30 PM; Reception from 5:30-6:00 PM; in the Clark Auditorium, S001, Clark Building at Stanford University.

Donald E. Ingber, MD, PhD
Director, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering
Judah Folkman Professor of Vascular Biology, Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital
Professor of Bioengineering, Harvard School of Engineering & Applied Sciences

Abstract:
The burgeoning field of Nanotechnology offers exciting new approaches to attack fundamental questions in biology, create smart medical devices, and positively impact human health. Creation of biologically-inspired nanotechnologies also could revolutionize how materials are designed and manufactured for industrial, aerospace, and military applications. But the fields are constrained by a lack of understanding of how living cells and tissues are constructed so that they exhibit their incredible organic properties, including their ability to change shape, move, grow, and self-heal. These are properties we strive to mimic, but we cannot yet build manmade materials that exhibit these features, or develop devices to selectively control these behaviors. To accomplish this, we must . . .

uncover the underlying design principles that govern how cells and tissues form and function as hierarchical assemblies of nanometer scale components. In this lecture, I will review work from my laboratory and others, which has begun to reveal these design principles that permit self-assembly of 3D structures with great robustness, mechanical strength, and biochemical efficiency, even though they are composed of many thousands of flexible molecular scale components. We also are beginning to understand that biological materials are simultaneously "structure and catalyst": the molecular lattices that form the frameworks of our cells and tissues combine mechanical functions and solid-phase biochemical processing activities. In the course of the lecture, I also will describe how recently developed nanotechnologies have been used to create model systems for biological studies, and how they have led to new approaches to interface living cells with microchips, control mammalian cell and tissue development, and probe the process of mechanotransduction--how cells sense mechanical forces and convert them into biochemical responses. Finally, the more fundamental question of how nanoscale structural networks impact information processing (signal transduction) networks to control cellular "decision-making" also will be explored. Understanding of these design principles that govern biological organization is critical for any nanotechnologist who wants to harness the power of biology.

Sponsored by: Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence Focused on Therapy Response(CCNE-TR) Program--NIH/NCI U54

Hosted by: Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, and the Departments of Radiology and Bioengineering

Awards and Honors: April 17, 2009

Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine (cardiology) and radiology, has received the 2009 Douglas P. Zipes Distinguished Young Scientist Award. According to the American College of Cardiology (ACCR), the award is given "[t]o recognize a young scientist who has made outstanding contributions to the field of cardiovascular medicine and who has amassed an impressive body of scientific research in either the clinical or basic domain." For Dr. Wu's prior awards, please see http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/11/awards_and_hono_63.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/10/_joseph_wu_md_p.html ; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/06/awards_and_hono_42.html ; and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/04/awards_and_hono_1.html.

Announcements: April 14, 2009

10th Annual Student-Organized "An Art Affair," Stanford's Largest Arts Festival: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (April 16th-18th) in White Plaza (free and open to the public). The art festival offers three days of artwork, performances, and interactive art with over 90 Stanford student visual artists and photographers displaying their work; an artist reception; DJ and dessert party; and film screening. Twelve ASSU Arts Grant recipients will also be displaying their work from their winter quarter projects, and there will be over 50 performances from Stanford arts groups, including music, dance, and theater. Contact Bria at bria@stanford.edu for more information or access http://soca.stanford.edu for a complete schedule.

Awards and Honors: April 1, 2009

Juergen K. Willmann, MD, assistant professor of radiology (abdominal imaging) and member of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), has been named as a 2009-10 pilot awardee by the Stanford Digestive Disease Center, an NIH-funded (P30) research center program led by Dr. Harry Greenberg. After a very competitive selection process, Dr. Willmann was selected as one of five pilot awardees, based on his project, "Non-Invasive Molecular Ultrasound Imaging for Diagnosing and Monitoring Inflammatory Bowel Disease Using Molecularly Targeted Microbubbles."

Prior to becoming an assistant professor at Stanford, Dr. Willmann was a research fellow in the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS) while concurrently an assistant professor of diagnostic radiology at the Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. He received his MD from the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Germany, and was the chief resident of diagnostic radiology at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. Under his leadership, the Translational Molecular Imaging Lab focuses on multimodality molecular imaging of angiogenesis and stem cell therapy as well as the development of multi-modality imaging approaches for the early detection of cancer. When he is not working, Dr. Willmann enjoys his life as a new Dad and plays the piano. To read Dr. Willmann's prior award postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/01/awards_and_hono_73.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/11/awards_and_hono_61.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/05/awards_and_hono_38.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/12/awards_and_hono_21.html; and
http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/02/awards_and_hono_18.html.

Awards and Honors: March 31, 2009

Christoph Lee, MD, third-year radiology resident, has been awarded the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation's 2009 Leadership Award, which is designed "to encourage involvement in organized medicine and continue leadership development among the country's brightest and most energetic medical students, residents, early career physicians and established physicians." On March 9th, Dr. Lee was honored for his strong non-clinical leadership skills in medicine and the community at the AMA's annual Excellence in Medicine Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C., along with 30 other award recipients.

Dr. Lee graduated cum laude from both Princeton University, where he received his bachelor's degree, and Yale University Medical School. Through his authorship of multiple research articles and commentaries in peer-reviewed journals, he has advocated at the national level for public health and education regarding CT radiation risks. He has also served as a project manager of a global tuberculosis initiative for Ralph Nader in Washington, D.C., and as an analyst for a prominent national healthcare policy research and consulting firm. At the community level, Dr. Lee helped implement the Healthcare for the Homeless Program in St. Louis, MO, and assisted in leading a free clinic for migrant farm workers in Connecticut. After completing his residency, Dr. Lee plans to pursue a career in health services and policy research with a focus on the clinically effective and cost-effective utilization of medical imaging. When he's not working, Dr. Lee enjoys running, playing tennis, and keeping up with pop culture.

Awards and Honors: March 25, 2009

Neal Bangerter, PhD, research associate; Garry E. Gold, MD, associate professor of radiology and (by courtesy) bioengineering and orthopedics; Brian Hargreaves, PhD, assistant professor of radiology; Seungbum Koo, PhD, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Chung-Ang University in South Korea; Ernesto Staroswiecki, PhD; and Ronald Watkins, senior research engineer, received the Cum Laude Award at the 2009 Meeting of the Society of Computed Body Tomography and Magnetic Resonance (SCBT/MR) for their exceptional research project, "Early Detection of Osteoarthritis in Patients with ACL Injury Using Sodium MRI." Please access photos and brief biographies of some of our award winners by clicking on the link below.

Garry E. Gold, MD, associate professor of radiology and (by courtesy) bioengineering and orthopedics, 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, and this is the sixth time he was been awarded 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. To view his prior blog postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/02/drs_gold_and_ha_2.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/01/drs_gold_and_ha.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/06/people_and_thei_6.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/04/awards_and_hono_37.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/04/awards_and_hono_31.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/10/awards_and_hono_19.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/04/awards_and_hono_1.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/02/awards_and_hono_18.html; and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/02/new_faculty_hir_1.html.

Brian Hargreaves, PhD, assistant professor of radiology, completed his doctoral degree in electrical engineering at Stanford University. In 2005, he joined the Stanford Radiology Department faculty. Dr. Hargreaves' research focuses on body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications (including abdominal, vascular, breast, and musculoskeletal imaging) and the development of novel excitation schemes, efficient imaging methods, and reconstruction tools that provide improved diagnostic contrast compared with current methods. Aside from work, he plays ice hockey and soccer, and he is on the volunteer ski patrol at Sugar Bowl ski resort. To view Dr. Hargreaves' pior blog postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/02/drs_gold_and_ha_2.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/01/drs_gold_and_ha.html; and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/04/awards_and_hono_31.html.

Seungbum Koo, PhD, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Chung-Ang University in South Korea, received his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering at Stanford University in 2006 and worked as a research associate in radiology until February 2009. His research interests include medical image processing and joint biomechanics, with a focus on knee joint biomechanics and articular cartilage degeneration to understand the mechanical pathways of osteoarthritis in the knee. Dr. Koo recently took a faculty position in South Korea.

Ronald Watkins, senior research engineer, has been working in medical imaging since joining GE Medical Systems in 1980, where he was part of an engineering team that developed the first commercial version of digital subtraction X-ray angiography. During his career, he has been involved in the development of data acquisition systems for CT as well as several subsystems for the first commercial, high-field 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance system, including pulse sequence generators, gradient amplifiers, RF amplifiers, and digital image processors. Mr. Watkins began working in the development of transducers and analog front ends for cardiac ultrasound in 1985. Four years later, he developed catheters and electronics for high-resolution, high-frequency intravascular ultrasound at Cardiovascular Imaging Systems in Sunnyvale, a high tech medical device startup company founded by Cardiologist Paul Yock, MD.

In 1991, Mr. Watkins returned to GE's Corporate Research and Development Division in Schenectady, New York, where he worked with co-inventors Harvey Cline, PhD, and Kullervo Hynynen, PhD, at the University of Arizona to develop the first MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery system. In 2000, this technology was transferred to form the basis for the Haifa Israel start-up InsighTec. Mr. Watkins also led the development of the first commercial whole body 3.0 Tesla MRI system, which initiated a rapid increase in the deployment of 3.0 Tesla systems from a few fMRI research sites to the thousands of mainstream clinical radiology sites present today. Furthermore, he developed much of the hardware for massively parallel receive arrays, parallel transmit, and RF subsystems for 7.0 Tesla MRI systems.

In 2007, Mr. Watkins joined the Stanford Department of Radiology, where he has been developing coils and hardware for high-field MRI and has continued the development of MR-guided focused ultrasound, including the use of capacitive micro-machined ultrasound transducers, pioneered by the Khuri-Yakub group in the Stanford E. L. Ginzton Lab. In recognition of his research on the development of MR-guided focused ultrasound, Mr. Watkins was awarded a Magna Cum Laude citation by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in 1994. In addition, he has 38 issued U.S. patents and more than 40 conference proceedings and journal publications.

Did You Know?

A Sketch of Early Radiologists*
The head of the Department of Roentgenology at Children's Hospital in Boston, Dr. Percy Brown, conducted a survey of all members of the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) in 1910.

Of the 50% who responded, the majority received their medical degrees during the years 1896 to 1903. Many of those who received their medical degrees between 1900 to 1903 had worked with X-rays as photographers, engineers, physicists, and eletricians prior to medical school.

20% of the ARRS members surveyed limited their practice to radiology while the remaining 80% "were equally divided between general practice and some other specialty."

30% of survey participants indicated that they practiced both X-ray diagnosis and therapy while "[a]bout half worked only in diagnosis, and a significant minority (19%) specialized solely in therapy."

(The above statistics are from Radiology: An Illustrated History by Eisenberg, Ronald L.; St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Year Book, 1992: 61).

Awards and Honors: March 23, 2009

Marcus Alley, PhD, senior research scientist; Garry E. Gold, MD, associate professor of radiology and (by courtesy) bioengineering and orthopedics at Stanford University; Robert J. Herfkens, MD, professor of radiology, director of MRI, and associate chair for clinical technology; Michael Lustig, PhD, engineering research associate; John Pauly, PhD, professor of electrical engineering; and Dr. Shreyas Vasanawala, assistant professor of radiology, were awarded the 2009 Lauterbur Award by the Society of Computed Body Tomography and Magnetic Resonance (SCBT/MR) for their outstanding research project "Faster Pediatric MRI with Compressed Sensing." The Lauterbur Award in MR was named in honor of Paul Lauterbur, PhD, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2003 for his work in MRI. Please find photos and brief biographies of some of our award winners by clicking on the link below.

Marcus Alley, PhD, senior research scientist, received his BA in physics from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and his MS (physics) and PhD (nuclear physics) from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he completed his thesis entitled "An Effective Range Determination of Phase Shifts for the Elastic Proton Helium-3 Reaction between the Energies of 0 and 12 MeV." Dr. Alley has been a member of the Stanford Department of Radiology since 1994, when he began as a postdoctoral fellow mentored by Norbert Pelc, ScD. After completing his postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Alley worked as an MR applications and software developer, and, in May of 2005, he became a senior research scientist in our Department. His current research involves developing MRI with compressed sensing for body and pediatric imaging. His past awards include a third place Scientific Paper Award for his paper entitled "Measurement of T1 of Flowing Blood, Extraction Fraction of Gd-DTPA and Single-Kidney GFR Using Interleaved Spiral Acquisition" from the Society of Uroradiology, Twenty-Fifth Scientific Assembly, in 2000. Dr. Alley also has over 35 publications and 7 patents.

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, and this is the sixth time he was been awarded 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. To view his prior blog postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/02/drs_gold_and_ha_2.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/01/drs_gold_and_ha.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/06/people_and_thei_6.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/04/awards_and_hono_37.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/04/awards_and_hono_31.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/10/awards_and_hono_19.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/04/awards_and_hono_1.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/02/awards_and_hono_18.html; and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/02/new_faculty_hir_1.html.

Michael Lustig, PhD, engineering research associate, received his BSc in 2001 from the Department of Electrical Engineering, in Technion-IIT, Haifa, Israel. He completed his PhD in 2008 from the Department of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University, where his doctoral research focused on the application of compressed sensing to rapid MRI. Currently, he is a research associate in the Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Lab (MRSRL) in the Stanford Department of Engineering, where his research interests include medical imaging reconstruction, MR pulse sequence design, convex optimization, and inverse problems.

Dr. Shreyas Vasanawala, assistant professor of radiology, joined the Department of Radiology faculty in July of 2007, after receiving his degree and a PhD in biophysics from Stanford University, followed by residency training in radiology at Stanford University Medical Center and a pediatric radiology fellowship at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH). During his fellowship, Dr. Vasanawala received specialty training in pediatric musculoskeletal imaging at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and in pediatric cardiovascular imaging at Sick Kids in Toronto. At Stanford, Dr. Vasanawala's research focus includes testing the feasibility of magnetic resonance imaging techniques for evaluating pediatric and abdominal disease. In recognition of his research, he recently received an International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) Seed Grant for his proposed research project, "Non-Contrast-Enhanced Renal MRA Using Multiple Inversion Recovery." Developed in collaboration with doctoral student Hattie Dong and Professor Dwight Nishimura, Dr. Vasanawala's proposal was cited for its innovation and potential impact. The competition was open to young investigators, and only one grant was awarded in each of the areas of low back pain and renal MRI. For his prior blog postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/02/awards_and_hono_76.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/07/awards_and_hono_43.html; and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/07/new_faculty_hir.html.

"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" in Imaging: Radio Interview by Dr. Pat Basu

Pat Basu, MBA, MD, chief radiology resident, was recently interviewed on RSNA On-the-Air regarding the appropriate use of imaging examinations. Dr. Basu's interview was sent to several nationally syndicated radio stations and was derived from his presentation at the 2008 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Conference entitled, "Creating A Patient Centered Radiology Facility: An Imaging Center Where Radiologists Interact Directly with Their Patients." To listen to his radio interview, please click on the link below.

Did You Know?

Public Perception of Radiologists in 1956 and 2008
A 1956 survey by Eastman Kodak revealed that "[l]ess than one in four patients who had received a radiographic or fluoroscopic examination knew that there was a specialized physician--called a radiologist--who was involved in its performance or interpretation" (from "Who Are You? and Who Cares?" (Download file) by Linton, O; Academic Radiology September 2008;15(9):1212).

A 2008 national survey by the American College of Radiology (ACR) entitled "The Face of Radiology" revealed that Americans are still "split down the middle" regarding "whether a radiologist is a person who interprets or a person who administers the scan." During four focus groups in Miami, Florida, and Burlington, Vermont, adults age 35 and older had "general attitudes towards radiologists and radiology" that were "positive" and that reflected "the notion that the radiologist is a trained professional," though respondents were "split as to whether a radiologist is a licensed physician or a technician" (Download file).

People and Their Pets: Daisy

Daisy on Halloween 2008 (l) and adoption day (r)

Two years ago, Sheila Galuppo, marketing manager for outpatient imaging at Stanford Hospital and Clinics, rescued a four-month old Basset Hound named Daisy: "She was surrendered by a young couple who could not spend enough time with her. She escaped once before from their home and the Humane Society picked her up. I originally fostered her first since she was only four-months old and not adoptable yet. When I picked her up at the Humane Society, I suspected that she had caught Kennel Cough, but they insisted she was fine. The next day she was so sick; her breathing was distressed, and she was about five pounds under weight. After medical care, food, and lots of love, she returned to great condition. I adopted her a month later. She is now about two- and a half-years old. She and I have been in obedience training classes for over a year with the goal of obtaining her therapy dog license. We would like to volunteer at care centers and children's hospitals. There is nothing like bringing a smile to a child with the unconditional love of a furry friend."

Did You Know?

On March 1, 2009, Drs. Glazer and Beaulieu were quoted in an article from the New York Times entitled "Good or Useless, Medical Scans Cost the Same," regarding the varying quality of imaging scans. To view the article, please click here or Download file. The article also appears in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

New Staff Hires and Promotions: March 3, 2009

Sheila Galuppo was recently hired as our marketing manager for outpatient imaging at Stanford Hospital and Clinics. For over 15 years, she has worked in medical sales, building close working relationships with community physicians and their staff. Before joining our Department, she worked as the marketing manager for an independent start-up imaging center in the San Jose area for four years. Drawing on her knowledge and experience concerning excelling in a very competitive imaging industry, Ms. Galuppo's goal for Stanford Radiology is to obtain radiology referrals from our community physicians.

Born and raised in the San Jose area, Ms. Galuppo is from a second-generation Italian immigrant family: "I went to UC Santa Cruz as a marine biology major with dreams of becoming a veterinarian specializing in marine mammals. My mentors as a child were Jacques Cousteau, Marty Stauffer, Marlin Perkins, and, of course, mom and dad. Funny, how life takes us on a journey. While working as a veterinarian technician after college, I met many sales representatives coming to the physician's office, and I discovered a new passion, medical sales, and I have never looked back. I am also an avid scuba diver, although I prefer warm water diving in my older years. My other hobbies include camping, hiking, and dog training. Two years ago, I rescued a four-month old Basset Hound named Daisy. She and I have been in obedience training classes for over a year with the goal of obtaining her therapy dog license. We would like to volunteer at care centers and children's hospitals. There is nothing like bringing a smile to a child with the unconditional love of a furry friend."

(Image of Ms. Galuppo courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)

Daisy on Halloween 2008

New Staff Hires and Promotions: March 2, 2009

Douglas Cathon, MA, ARRT, has joined our Department as our Radiology quality manager at Stanford Hospital and Clinics. Prior to coming to Stanford, Mr. Cathon worked at the University of Chicago Medical Center. He has over 30 years of management experience working in quality management; leading community programs; and teaching business and health courses, on topics including principles of management, organizational behavior, organizational theory, and human resources. Mr. Cathon has published a book entitled Management Dominos and has over 40 publications in professional journals on subjects such as stress management, performance, buying a computer system, and marketing. Other key areas of his experience include quality assessment and improvement; imaging operations management; departmental policy and procedural manuals; Certificates of Need and RFP's; cost analysis; coding/billing; supply control; and short- and long-range planning.

In addition, Mr. Cathon has clinical experience from his work as a radiological technologist in all areas of radiology and from his service in the Navy as a hospital corpsman with experience as an operating room technician; lab technician; X-ray technician; and pharmacy technician. In the Navy, he was also the leading petty officer on a number of duty stations, which included 10 ships, 2 clinics, and 4 hospitals, and he has 5 years of experience as a Total Quality Management instructor. In 1982, Mr. Cathon received a Navy Achievement Award for designing a medical department on board a ship. His educational background includes an MA in human resource development from Webster University, St. Louis, MO; an MA in health services management from Webster University, St. Louis, MO; a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education (medical technology and business) from Wayland Baptist University, Plainview Texas; and EPIC-Radiant certification in the radiology RIS system. He is also an American Health Care Radiology Administrators Fellow.

When he is not at work, Mr. Cathon enjoys spending time with his two children and four grandchildren as well as driving his 94 Corvette.

(Image courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)

Drs. Gold and Hargreaves' Osteoarthritis Research Featured on ABC7 News

At 6 PM on Thursday, February 26th, ABC News on channel 7 featured research by Drs. Gold, associate professor of radiology (left), and Hargreaves, assistant professor of radiology (right), regarding the detection of osteoarthritis using the latest imaging techniques in sodium MRI in their broadcast, "MRI Detects Knee Injuries Sooner." To view a video of the broadcast or to read the transcript, please click here or Download file

To read more about their project, please access their prior blog posting, "Drs. Gold and Hargreaves Detect Osteoarthritis Using Sodium MRI." Please also see an earlier news release from the Stanford School of Medicine highlighting their research, "Stanford Develops Imaging Technique to Catch Arthritis Early in Onset" or Download file.

Awards and Honors: February 19, 2009

Adam Wang, MS, doctoral student in Electrical Engineering and member of the Radiological Sciences Laboratory (RSL), was 1 of only 8 finalists (out of 34 entrants) for the Michael B. Merickel Student Paper Award at the 2009 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Medical Imaging Conference for his work entitled "Optimal Energy Thresholds and Weights for Separating Materials Using Photon Counting X-Ray Detectors with Energy Discriminating Capabilities."

Mentored by Dr. Norbert Pelc, Mr. Wang is currently a research assistant in the RSL where he is investigating task-based optimal multi-energy discrimination techniques for CT systems and developing lossy compression methods to reduce CT data rate without diagnostic impact.

Prior to entering the doctoral program, Mr. Wang received his master's in electrical engineering from Stanford, after completing his BS in electrical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. In addition to being a finalist for the Michael B. Merickel Student Paper Award, Mr. Wang's other awards include an Electrical Engineering Departmental Fellowship from Stanford University and the Distinguished College of Engineering Scholar Award at the University of Texas at Austin. When he's not working, he enjoys running, cycling, and working on his bikes.

Dr. Atlas' Commentary on Our Healthcare System Featured in The Washington Times

In his commentary, "ATLAS: Pardon the Interruption," Dr. Scott Atlas, professor and chief of neuroradiology and senior fellow at both the Hoover Institution and Freeman-Spogli Institute for International Studies, critiques the call for a larger role for government in our healthcare system. Citing several published studies, Dr. Atlas highlights a "few unheralded facts about America's health-care system." To read his commentary, please access http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/18/pardon-the-interruption/ or download the article here: Download file.

New Stanford Medicine Imaging Center Opens in Redwood City

In February of 2009, we opened an innovative imaging center in Redwood City at the Stanford Medicine Outpatient Center (SMOC) (see photo on left), which will allow us to accelerate the delivery of patient-centric imaging services. Our new facility, Stanford Medicine Imaging, Redwood City, includes two 3T MRIs and one CT and focuses on musculoskeletal and abdominal studies. Future plans include increasing the number of modalities to three CT and three MR scanners. For more information, including directions, maps, parking, and scheduling an appointment, please click here: Stanford Medicine Imaging, Redwood City. To read the latest articles on our new outpatient imaging center, please access the following:

"For Many Outpatient Services, the Doctor Will Now See You in Redwood City"

"Stanford Medicine Outpatient Center Set to Open on February 17" (Download file here)

"Outpatient Center Was Built with Patient-Centric Care at Its Heart" (Download file here)

"A Closer Look: The Clinics at the Outpatient Center" (Download file here)

"Did You Know" (Download file here)

Awards and Honors III: February 13, 2009

Brian Rutt, PhD, professor of radiology and director of the High-Field MRI Program, has been elected to Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). Election to Fellow of the AIMBE is awarded to outstanding bioengineers in academia, industry, and government who have distinguished themselves through their contributions in research, industrial practice, and/or education. On February 12th, Dr. Rutt traveled to Washington, DC, to receive his award as part of the induction ceremony of new fellows of the AIMBE. Before coming to Stanford, Dr. Rutt was a scientist at the Robarts Research Institute and professor of diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine at the University of Western Ontario, where he has held the Barnett-Ivey Endowed Research Chair, Heart and Stroke Foundation since 1997. At Robarts, he co-founded the Cellular and Molecular Imaging Program; served as the scientific director for the 1.5T and 3T research MRI facilities; and established a hardware engineering core facility. Under his direction, the first 1.5T MRI scanner and one of the first 3T MRI systems in Canada were installed in London, Ontario.

After completing his BASc in engineering science at the University of Toronto, Ontario, Dr. Rutt received his master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford, returning to Canada to attain his PhD in medical biophysics at the University of Western Ontario. Subsequently, he completed a postdoc at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). His research interests include MRI technology development and the application of advanced MRI techniques for studying the cardiovascular system, brain, and cancer. When he is not working, Dr. Rutt enjoys bicycling and wood working. For Dr. Rutt's prior blog posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2009/02/meet_brian_rutt.html.

Did You Know?

RADIOLOGICAL FEES IN 1910*

Sinus Examination: $25 to $50
Location of Foreign Bodies in the Eye: $25 to $50
Examination of Teeth: $10 to $75
Diagnosis of Renal and Vesical Calculi and Gallstones: $50 to $200
Chest Examination: $25 to $100
Shoulder Examination: $25 to $50
Elbow Examination: $15 to $50
Hand and Wrist Examination: $15 to $50
Foot and Ankle Examination: $15 to $50
Leg and Knee Examination: $25 to $75
Stomach and Bowel Examination: $75 to $200
Hip and Pelvis Examination: $50 to $100

(*The above statistics are for examinations and work done "inside the laboratory of the operator"; for work done outside the laboratory, "add 50 to 500 percent more." All statistics are from the ARRS Committee on Fee-Table [sic] published in "Minutes of the ARRS Meeting" from the Americal Quarterly of Roentgenology (1910;3:80) and quoted in "Radiology--Then and Now," by NJ Nazinitsky and BM Gold from the American Journal of Radiology (1988;151:251)).

Awards and Honors II: February 13, 2009

Dr. Shreyas Vasanawala, assistant professor of radiology, has won an International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) Seed Grant for his proposed research project, "Non-Contrast-Enhanced Renal MRA Using Multiple Inversion Recovery." Developed in collaboration with doctoral student Hattie Dong and Professor Dwight Nishimura, Dr. Vasanawala's proposal was cited for its innovation and potential impact. The competition was open to young investigators, and only one grant was awarded in each of the areas of low back pain and renal MRI.

Dr. Vasanawala's research focus includes testing the feasibility of magnetic resonance imaging techniques for evaluating pediatric and abdominal disease. Dr. Vasanawala joined the Department of Radiology faculty in July of 2007, after receiving his degree and a PhD in biophysics from Stanford University, followed by residency training in radiology at Stanford University Medical Center and a pediatric radiology fellowship at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH). During his fellowship, Dr. Vasanawala received specialty training in pediatric musculoskeletal imaging at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and in pediatric cardiovascular imaging at Sick Kids in Toronto. For his prior blog postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/07/awards_and_hono_43.html and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/07/new_faculty_hir.html.

Awards and Honors I: February 13, 2009

Adam de la Zerda, PhD candidate in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Laboratory (MMIL), has been awarded the Best Poster Presentation Award for his poster on enhanced sensitivity photoacoustic imaging agents at the Photoacoustic Session of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Photonics West 2009 Conference.

Mentored by Dr. Gambhir, Mr. de la Zerda researches photoacoustic molecular imaging and its broad applications for cancer. He is the PI of two predoctoral grants: one supported by the Department of Defense (DOD) Breast Cancer Research Program and the other by Bio-X. He has received numerous awards for his work including the Young Investigator Award at the World Molecular Imaging Congress 2008; the Bio-X Student Travel Award; and first place at the Bay Area Entrepreneurship Contest. He holds a number of publications and patents, and he is also a professional reviewer for Nature Nanotechnology and Medical Physics. Prior to coming to Stanford, Mr. de la Zerda received his BScs Summa Cum Laude in computer science, electrical engineering, and physics from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel.

For Mr. de la Zerda's prior blog award announcements, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/11/awards_and_hono_60.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/07/awards_and_hono_45.html;
and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/06/awards_and_hono_6.html.

Meet Brian Rutt, PhD, Professor of Radiology and Director of Our High-Field MRI Program at Stanford Radiology

By Julie Ruiz, PhD

With over 20 years of experience in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Dr. Brian Rutt is an expert in MRI technology development and the application of advanced MRI techniques for studying the cardiovascular system, brain, and cancer. As director of our High-Field MRI Program in the Radiological Sciences Laboratory (RSL), he is looking forward to furthering our efforts in building a 7T research program. "We need to update and integrate the 7T with the other scanners at the Lucas Center and on campus so that users can easily use it to produce reliable and excellent images," he commented. "Although higher field strength makes everything more challenging, the promise of higher image quality means that we should be able to detect disease earlier. We don't really know what all the clinical applications of 7T MRI will be, but . . .

I would expect that most will be in the brain and extremities (for example, knee cartilage). There is a lot of interest, and I hope to act as a catalyst for bringing new users to the 7T, which should be easy given the research strengths and interests of our faculty, staff, and students. I would also like to establish synergies between the Lucas 7T and the 7T animal scanner located at the Clark Center, which should help to build bridges between RSL and MIPS."

Dr. Rutt has an excellent track record of building interdisciplinary programs. Before coming to Stanford, he was a scientist at the Robarts Research Institute and professor of diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine at the University of Western Ontario. At Robarts, he co-founded the Cellular and Molecular Imaging Program with Paula Foster, PhD; served as the scientific director for the 1.5T and 3T research facilities; and established a hardware engineering core facility. Under his direction, the first 1.5T MRI scanner and one of the first 3T MRI systems in Canada were installed in London, Ontario.

However, it was in Stanford, California, not London, Ontario, where Dr. Rutt was first introduced to medical imaging. "I was a very young and green engineering student when I came to Stanford for my master's degree in electrical engineering in the late 70s. After graduating from the University of Toronto with a degree in engineering science, I applied to Stanford but was wait listed. I already had a job lined up when Stanford accepted me for admission to their master's program in electrical engineering late in the summer of 1976. I turned down the job; accepted the Stanford offer; packed a couple of bags, a bike, and a guitar onto a plane; flew out to San Francisco; and proceeded to have the most wonderful year of school of my life. I knew nothing about medical imaging when I got to Stanford, but that year I took a course on the principles of medical imaging from Albert Macovski, Stanford professor of electrical engineering and a pioneer of many imaging methods. He was assigned to me as my MSc advisor and during my second term, I did an independent research project with him, which exposed me to the exciting world of research in medical imaging. I loved attending Stanford that year. I rented a room in a house in Ladera on the way to Portola Valley and rode my bike to school every day, watching the sun rise over the big dish each morning during a famous drought year. At night, I would bike back up Alpine Road in the dark, and that last mile home was straight up hill, so I was in the best physical shape of my life!"

After earning his master's degree, Dr. Rutt went back to Canada to complete his PhD in medical biophysics with a focus on dual energy methods in X-ray, then returned to California for a postdoc. As a postdoc at the University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF), he was surrounded by the pioneers of the IMATRON ultra-fast CT technology in the early 80s (i.,e., Doug Boyd, PhD, and others, including Sandy Napel, PhD). Just down the road from his lab in south San Francisco, scientists were making MRI breakthroughs, notably Lean Kaufmann, PhD, and Larry Crooks, PhD, and word of these developments was spreading throughout the University and the world. Although his graduate and postdoc research had been in CT, Dr. Rutt decided to switch to MRI after hearing about these new developments.

Because of his prior history, returning to California, and to Stanford in particular, has not been difficult, and Dr. Rutt's biggest challenge has been not being able to bring his group with him from the University of Western Ontario. However, he is looking forward to working with Stanford faculty, students, and staff, and he is excited to be back: "I've had such great experiences in California that I feel very much at home here. It's not just the weather; it's also the liberal and fast-moving environment and community." The Stanford musical community is particularly interesting to him. Dr. Rutt's daughter, Leana, is studying to be a professional classical musician at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and her cello professor, Matt Haimovitz, is well known to the Stanford musical community. Like his daughter, both his son, David, and his wife, Susan, are very musical. Over the past 20 years, his wife created and built the highly successful Kindermusik Program in London, Ontario. David is currently attending the University of Ottawa and completing his education degree but plays jazz and rock on the side. He plans to pursue a teaching career in high school math and physics.

Dr. Rutt's other plans for his new life at Stanford include time for hobbies, particularly bicycling, appreciating California wine, and getting back to a former love of wood working. He comes from a long line of wood workers; his father, uncle, and grandfather Rutt were all carpenters. He has already Googled "Rutt of Los Altos," a local custom cabinetry business, and plans to find out if they are related, or at least if they'll give him a discount on some kitchen cabinets.

Did You Know?

The Department of Radiology is home to three National Institutes of Health (NIH) Centers of Excellence:

The National Center for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Technology (CAMRT);

The In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Center at Stanford (ICMIC); and

The Center for Cancer Nanotechnology and Excellence Focused on Therapy Response (CCNE-TR).

Awards and Honors II: January 30, 2009

Natesh Parashurama, MD, PhD, postdoctoral scholar in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Lab, has been awarded a 2009-2010 Dean's Fellowship for his proposal, "Quantitative, Multimodality Molecular Imaging of Spatiotemporally Regulated Cardiac Stem Cell Functions In Vivo." The Dean's Fellowship is designed "to encourage and support young investigators for the first one or two years of postdoctoral (PhD or MD) research training. Dr. Parashurama received his BS in chemical engineering from MIT and his medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Subsequently, he completed his PhD in chemical bioengineering at Rutgers University. While earning his PhD, he completed a three and a half-year graduate fellowship at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Parashurama's research interests include using multimodality imaging of stem cell functions for both enhanced understanding of the biology of stem cells and for translating these techniques to the clinic. These functions include cell homing and differentiation; the application of quantitative molecular imaging tools to study cell proliferation and differentiation; cell function; the cellular micro-environment; cell trafficking; the immune response; and cell-mediated gene therapy. For his prior blog posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/02/awards_and_hono_28.html.

Awards and Honors I: January 30, 2009

Juergen K. Willmann, MD, assistant professor of radiology (abdominal imaging) and member of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), has won the 2008 RSNA Research Award in the category of "Molecular Imaging" and the 2009 Phillip H. Meyers, MD, Research Award of the Society of Gastrointestinal Radiologists. Recipients receive the Phillip H. Meyers, MD, Research Award to facilitate visionary research in medical imaging.

Prior to becoming an assistant professor at Stanford, Dr. Willmann was a research fellow in the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS) while concurrently an assistant professor of diagnostic radiology at the Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. He received his MD from the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Germany, and was the chief resident of diagnostic radiology at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. His lab, the Translational Molecular Imaging Lab, focuses on multimodality molecular imaging of angiogenesis and stem cell therapy and the development of new ultrasonic imaging approaches for the early detection of cancer. When he is not working, Dr. Willmann enjoys his life as a new Dad and plays the piano. To read Dr. Willmann's prior award postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/11/awards_and_hono_61.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/05/awards_and_hono_38.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/12/awards_and_hono_21.html; and
http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/02/awards_and_hono_18.html.

Drs. Gold and Hargreaves Detect Osteoarthritis Using Sodium MRI

Garry Gold, MD, associate professor of radiology (left), and Brian Hargreaves, PhD, assistant professor of radiology (right), have developed imaging techniques using sodium MRI to diagnose osteoarthritis decades before symptoms begin. To read more about their research and to watch a video of Dr. Gold explaining the newest techniques in sodium MRI for osteoarthritis detection, please access http://med.stanford.edu/news_releases/2009/january/sodium.html.

Did You Know?

AVERAGE COST OF RADIOLOGIC EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
AT 57 U.S. HOSPITALS IN 1910

Interest on cost of equipment ($1,102.63=the average in 57 hospitals) at 6%...........................................................$66.15
Depreciation per year, at 12%..................................$132.31
Insurance at approx. $1,000 valuation...........................$17.70
Repairs and improvements, per year.............................$100.00
Electricity, per year (light and power).........................$25.00
Tubes, per year.................................................$75.00
Cost of 2194 plates, all sizes, estimated at 35 cents..........$767.90
Cost of developers at 5 cents per plate........................$109.70
Total cost, per hospital for one year,.......................$1,293.76

(from "X-Ray Work in Radiology" by Stevens, R.; The American Quarterly of Roentgenology 1910;2:107-109).

Awards and Honors: January 28, 2009

Audrey Strain, RT, CT technologist, received the January Wingspread Award from the former recipient, Pablo Rodriguez, CRT, ARRT, for her excellence in Radiology. The Wingspread Award is given by one employee to another who has proven that he or she is a "special performer" by demonstrating exemplary performance in areas such as job knowledge; work ethics; communication skills; inter- and intradepartmental relationships; versatility; and judgment. This award gives employees the opportunity to recognize who among them has gone above and beyond the fulfillment of his or her usual duties. Wingspread awardees can keep the award for as long as they wish or until they discover another "special performer." Monthly awarding of the Wingspread honor is encouraged as part of the Stanford Hospital & Clinics (SHC) departmental staff meetings.

Mrs. Strain was first employed at SHC in July of 2001, after graduating from the Foothill College Radiologic Technologies Program in June of 2001. Within one year, she obtained her mammography license and trained in the Stanford Mammography Department. From 2003 to 2004, Mrs. Strain worked for Lucile Packard Children's Hospital as their lead technologist, returning to SHC in 2004 as the lead technologist at the new Cancer Center. Simultaneously, she served as a clinical instructor to the second-year students from Foothill College. After having her first daughter in 2006, Mrs. Strain began her current position in the CT Department as a staff technician, which allows her to spend more time with her daughter by working 16 hours on Saturdays and two additional 8-hour shifts during the week. She also taught at the Foothill College Radiology Laboratory for one quarter but declined further teaching appointments because she did not want to spend more time away from her daughter. On January 14th, Mrs. Strain passed her CT registry exam and is now a licensed CT technologist. She is currently on maternity leave, awaiting the arrival of her second daughter.

(Image courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)

Dr. Chris Beaulieu Named Peet's Customer of the Week

Dr. Beaulieu, chief of musculoskeletal radiology, was recently named Peet's Customer of the Week. "This competes with Obama for the high point of 2009 thus far, and is another prestigious accolade for my CV," he remarked. As a reward for his coffee drinking, Dr. Beaulieu's picture (above) appeared on the wall of Peet's Coffee for the week of January 12th through January 16th. He was also given his choice of a free treat; he chose a carmel macchiato with biscotti.

Imaging Innovations on Video

Five new videos highlighting our new outpatient imaging center and leading-edge techniques in interventional radiology and MRI are now available for viewing through our website at http://radiology.stanford.edu/ or through the links below.

"Welcome to Stanford's Innovative New Center for Medical Imaging"

"Stanford Medicine: Pioneers in Interventional Radiology"

"Stanford Interventional Radiology: A Cancer Survivor's Story"

"Stanford Interventional Radiology: A Definitive Treatment for Deep Venous Thrombosis"

"Transforming Medicine--Innovations in MRI"

Third Annual Lucas Center Food Drive Exceeds Its Goal

In December, Donna Cronister, administrative services manager, coordinated the Lucas Center food drive with the goal of donating 200 pounds to the Second Harvest Food Bank. The Lucas Center exceeded its goal by 9 pounds of food! We hope to double our collection next year. Our prior two food drives were coordinated by Wendy Baumgardner, research technologist.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Stanford Hospital & Clinics Radiology Wins Bronze Award for Departmental Food and Fund Drive

Food drive organizer Linn Dee Barrientos, business systems analyst, congratulates everyone who participated in our 2008 Holiday Food and Fund Drive to support Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties! Through the generosity of our Department as well as our encouragement of our supporting ancillary services, we donated a total of 479 pounds as well as $390.00 to the Second Harvest Food Bank. For our efforts, we earned a bronze award, which Ms. Barrientos will be accepting on behalf of our Department at the Second Harvest's "Award and Recognition Event" on Thursday, February 12, 2009, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (500 Castro Street in Mountain View). There is complimentary parking in the garage under the Center, which can be accessed from Mercy Street. Some street parking is also available. A cocktail reception and hors d'oeuvres will begin at 5:30 PM; the awards ceremony starts at 6:30 PM. For more information, please access http://www.secondharvestfood.org/aboutus/events_2008awards.php.

Ms. Barrientos would like to thank everyone for their generosity: "Our efforts this past holiday season have made a tremendous impact on our community as well as on our camaraderie with each other. Give yourself a round of applause! Because of our ability to motivate ourselves and others, I am very honored to represent Stanford Radiology at the awards banquet on February 12th at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts!"

To read more about Ms. Barrientos' endeavors in organizing our food and fund drive, please access her prior blog article at http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/11/stanford_hospit_2.html.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. William H. Marshall

(Image courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)

By Julie Ruiz, PhD

"If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants," William Marshall, MD, said of his career, quoting English Physicist Sir Isaac Newton. "I came into radiology at a time when neuroradiology was becoming a burgeoning field. I also had splendid colleagues, residents, fellows, technicians, nurses, and administrators, and my whole career unfolded. Marvelous things happened to me. It was a wonderful ride, and I enjoyed it very much."

During a Stanford career as a professor of radiology (clinical) that spanned more than three decades, . . .

Dr. Marshall performed procedures, such as air encephalation, that he eventually replaced with angiograms, CT scans, and MRI studies, which were more accurate, much safer, and more easily tolerated by patients. Along with Les Zatz, MD, who was the first to develop neuroradiology at Stanford, Dr. Marshall was co-chief of the neuroradiology section for two years and served as the neuroradiolgy section chief for seventeen years. In addition, he published 36 refereed journal papers and was the chair of the Radiation Producing Machines Committee for twenty-two years, which was established for the protection of patients and the University.

Dr. Marshall's other accomplishments began early in his career and included winning a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Rochester in New York to study chemical engineering. After his third year as an undergraduate, he began medical school at the University of Rochester and was again awarded a full-tuition scholarship. Upon completing medical school and then an internship at the University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Marshall served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps.

While stationed in the Red Sea, he wrote to his medical school mentor, Dr. Lucy Frank Squires, about possible residency programs. She encouraged him to apply to the residency program at Stanford, which was then headed by Dr. Henry Jones: "I went to talk with Dr. Jones, and he kept telling me about Stanford's other exceptional applicants. I thought I didn't have a chance, so I was delighted when he sent me a letter of acceptance!"

During his residency at Stanford, Dr. Marshall received an American Cancer Society Fellowship to study at the Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York where he saw a great volume of cases in neuro with Dr. Juan Taveras; in pediatrics with Dr. David Baker; and in chest with Dr. Kent Ellis. Returning to Stanford, Dr. Marshall participated in the first percutaneous coronary and renal angiographies under the direction of Herbert Abrams, MD: "We would come in the night before the procedure and make the catheters over steam, placing them in a dish of fluid. They were really floppy and hard to control, but they worked. When Herb was absent, I would keep the program running, which for a third-year resident was a tremendous opportunity. I am much indebted to Dr. Abram's continuing support down through the years."

After residency, Dr. Marshall was a radiologist for two years at the Palo Alto Medical Clinic and the Veterans Administration Hospital and then became an instructor in the Stanford Radiology Department. At that time, the idea of neuroradiology was popular on the East Coast and in Europe, but it was just beginning on the West Coast. Dr. Zatz decided that Stanford needed a separate section of neuroradiology, and he enlisted Dr. Marshall to help him: "Dr. Zatz was interested in how things worked while I was interested in how to apply them, so we made a good team."

During his career, Dr. Marshall took advantage of the opportunities offered by Stanford, which included important collaborations: "We wanted to work with the neurosurgeons and pathologists. Dr. Jake Hanbery, chief of neurosurgery, welcomed me into the operating room. Before each procedure, I would study and interpret their patients' films, and I would show the neurosurgeons in advance what the problems might be so they could plan their procedures. Once in the operating room, I could see whether my information was correct. It was the moment of truth. This collaborative support was important for the growth of our section. Similarly, we would go to the Pathology Department once a week, and the chief of neuropathology, Dr. Lucian Rubinstein, would make slices of brains in the exact same way the brains had been scanned so that we could compare the slices and scans. The pathologists were always astounded when we were able to find things they couldn't see because the slices only showed the brain surface, while our scanned images showed what was within the brain tissue."

University life offered many opportunities for growth, which included travel. During the Vietnam War, Dr. Marshall took a four-month unpaid leave of absence to serve as a surgeon/radiologist in civilian hospitals in DaNang, Vietnam, through the Volunteer Physicians for Vietnam Program. "I enlisted as a surgeon because they didn't want a radiologist. The equipment was terrible. They overexposed their patients in making the films, sometimes for as long as 45 seconds, and they under-processed the films. I was able to make high quality films in as little time as a second to one-tenth of a second. Once I demonstrated that I could increase the film quality and increase the level of clinical information, they sent me to all the county hospitals in that sector. The medical students from Hue were very eager to learn modern radiology, and they kept demanding that I hold teaching sessions every Saturday morning. They wanted the sessions to be three-hours long." During a sabbatical sponsored by the Swedish Medical Research Foundation, Dr. Marshall also traveled to Sweden to study cerebral circulation disease at the University of Lund, Sweden, with Sten Cronquist, MD, and then to Norway to study with Per Amundsen, MD. He later travelled to the University of Stellenbosch and Cape Town University in Cape Town, South Africa, as a visiting professor, and he combined this travel to South Africa with a surfing trip.

Overall, Dr. Marshall's greatest satisfaction has been providing opportunities for his trainees: "My trainees were excellent and wonderful people, and I thoroughly enjoyed working with them. They thought I knew more than they did, so I had to go home and read the journals and come back in the morning fresh. They kept me fresh and on my toes!"

Since he retired in 1993, Dr. Marshall enjoys spending time with his family: his wife, Jane; son, Herb; and daughter, Jenny. Jane was the unofficial secretary for the neuroradiology section: "She handled all the schedules; kept us all on track for the seventeen years I served as chief of the neuroradiology section; and held annual dinners for the outgoing trainees in our home." While Dr. Marshall was president of the Western Radiological Society, Jane also organized the annual meeting for the Society.

Although he still enjoys water skiing, snow skiing, and racquetball, Dr. Marshall gave up motorcycling due to crashes. Four or five times a week, he walks to the dish with Henry Jones, MD: "He was my professor, then my colleague, and now he's my friend. It's a friendship that has endured for fifty years."

New Staff Hires and Promotions: January 8, 2009

Alice Gardner, MM, recently joined our Department as an administrative associate in the Abdominal Imaging Section. Prior to coming to California in 2004, Ms. Gardner lived for most of her adult life on the back roads of rural Vermont, raising her family in a picturesque valley while running a home business growing and drying flowers. In Brattleboro, Vermont, she worked at the School for International Training as an administrative manager for their master's programs. After moving to California, Ms. Gardner worked for over two years as a seminar and program coordinator at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto. She earned her master's degree in management from Cambridge College in 2000.

Although she lived in Vermont for most of her life, Ms. Gardner grew up in Connecticut and also spent seven years in Scotland at the Findhorn Foundation. From a young age, she has been interested in spirituality and in 2002, after discovering the teachings of Eckhart Tolle, she spent five days at a retreat led by Mr. Tolle and subsequently authored a book about her experiences entitled Life Beyond Belief.

According to Ms. Gardner, her four years in California have been great: "I am thoroughly enjoying the wonderfully temperate climate here, as well as the social environment with my friends, family, and as a member of the Stanford community. I enjoy nature photography very much, and I have included some of my recent photos for the blog. Also, my last name, Gardner, is very fitting because I really am a gardener; I am certificated by the Royal Horticultural Society in England, and I enjoy the year-round flowers and plants in California a lot. I love the great outdoors and enjoy camping, walking, biking to work, and just plain being outdoors."

Did You Know?

In the years following the 1895 discovery of the X-ray when radiology was beginning to develop as a specialty, some radiologists charged less for a negative result than a positive one. In 1896, radiologist Dr. William James Morton at New York City Hospital wrote the following after examining a patient referred to him for a possible kidney stone: "Like all physicians' services a negative result is harder to charge for than a positive one." Because he did not find a kidney stone, Dr. Morton reduced his fee by $25 (Technology in the Hospital by Howell, J; Baltimore, Maryland: John Hopkins University Press, 1995: 128).

New Faculty Hires and Promotions: January 5, 2009

Rebecca Fahrig, PhD, has been promoted to associate professor (research) of radiology. Prior to joining our Department, Dr. Fahrig completed her PhD in medical biophysics at the University of Western Ontario and a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University. She has won numerous awards including selection as a School of Medicine Faculty Fellow for 2008; the Greenfield Award for the Best Paper (nonradiation dosimetry) published in Medical Physics in 2005; the Fellowship Research Trainee Prize (along with Zhu, PhD, candidate) from the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Physics Subcommittee; and the Faculty Scholar in Translational Research Award from the Baxter Foundation. Dr. Fahrig's research focuses on imaging for guidance of minimally invasive procedures. She works on software and hardware that permit the use of a C-arm system for both fluoroscopy and CT imaging, and she has extended the applications of C-arm CT to retrospectively gated 3D/4D cardiac imaging in the interventional suite. Dr. Fahrig is also developing an MR-compatible X-ray fluoroscopy system, including a new rotating-anode X-ray tube for use in the fringe fields of 1.5T and 3.0T magnets. For her prior award posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/04/awards_and_hono_36.html.

Did You Know?

The cardiovascular imaging group pioneered the noninvasive imaging of the heart and blood vessels in the body. Studies that once required catheterization can now be conducted noninvasively.

Awards and Honors II: December 19, 2008

Pablo Rodriguez, CRT, ARRT, received the Wingspread Award this September 2008 because of his outstanding work in Radiology. This award is given by one employee to another who has proven that he or she is a "special performer" by demonstrating exemplary performance in areas such as job knowledge; work ethics; communication skills; inter- and intradepartmental relationships; versatility; and judgment. Mr. Rodriguez graduated from Foothill College with an AS in radiological sciences and completed part of his X-Ray School Rotation at Stanford Hospital, where he has been working full time for the past three years. He currently works weekends and as part of the CT team. He is also the radiologic technologist for a local college football team and a professional football team in the Bay Area.

Mr. Rodriguez describes his experience as follows:

"I have learned a lot at the Hospital because we are a trauma center. In addition to the Trauma Department, my training enables me to work in all areas of the Radiology Department such as the Operating Room, Gastrointestinal Emergency Department, Orthopedic Department, and the Cancer Center. Because of this, I have also supervised all of these areas. In addition, I supervised X-Ray North for one year, which is the head of the radiologic diagnostic areas in the Hospital. I gained a lot of experience by doing this job, and I grew a lot as a radiologic technologist. Most importantly, I learned to be a team player and to respect all people with whom I work. My motto is: Treat others as you like to be treated. I'm really thankful to have the opportunity to work at Stanford Hospital and Clinics, and I like the challenges that come with my work. With all the traumas that a technologist sees, he or she has to become creative to get the best X-ray image or CT scan for the physician to make the most accurate diagnosis. I have also met my close friends here at work." As a result of his dedication, Mr. Rodriguez was voted as the 2007 Radiologic Technologist of the Month by his departmental co-workers. The Wingspread Award is another way in which his co-workers have recognized that he "has gone above and beyond the fulfillment of his usual duties." Wingspread awardees can keep the award for as long as they wish or until they discover another "special performer." Monthly awarding of the Wingspread honor is encouraged as part of the SHC departmental staff meetings.

Mr. Rodriguez moved to the United States from Mexico when he was twelve years old and is the youngest of four children. In high school, he held various leadership positions including Student Body Publicist and ESL Coordinator. In recognition of his service, he received a Rotary Award as well as an award for community involvement. In addition, his senior class voted him as the one who had "Contributed the Most" and as the Homecoming King. In his free time, Mr. Rodriguez enjoys going to the movies and working out. However, spending time with his family is his main priority: "I love my family and really close friends, and I will do anything I can to help them out. My family is the foundation of who I am now."

(Image courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)

Awards and Honors I: December 19, 2008

Joong-Ho (Johann) Won, PhD, MS, received a Bio-X Travel Award for travel to the 94th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the 2008 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) to give a presentation on his work entitled, "Towards a Single Uncluttered View of the Abdominal Aortic Vessel Tree from CTA or MRA: Method and Preliminary Results." Based on his dissertation research, Dr. Won's RSNA talk focused on the development of two-dimensional visualization methods, which do not introduce crossings among the branches, for the abdominal aorta and its branches. As a member of Professor Sandy Napel's research group, Dr. Won is also exploring statistical signal processing and large-scale inference problems in biomedical applications. He is a recent graduate of the doctoral program in electrical engineering, where he also earned his master's degree in 2003. Outside of the lab, Dr. Won likes to spend time running, swimming, and traveling with his newly-wedded wife.

New Faculty Hires and Promotions: December 17, 2008

Daniel Rubin, MD, MS, was appointed as an assistant professor of radiology in 2008. He was recruited to Stanford Radiology to participate in building a new section in the information sciences called ISIS (Information Science in Imaging at Stanford). Dr. Rubin's background is in clinical and investigational radiology as a radiologist and as a researcher. He attended Stanford Medical School and received his master's degree in biomedical informatics. He also completed his residency as well as his body and research fellowships at Stanford University. Dr. Rubin's academic focus is on the intersection of biomedical informatics and imaging science where he is developing computational methods and applications to access and integrate diverse clinical and imaging data; to extract information and meaning from images; to enable data mining and the discovery of image biomarkers; and to translate these methods into practice by creating computer applications that will improve diagnostic accuracy and clinical effectiveness. He is also chair of the RadLex Steering Committee of the RSNA, an effort to create a standard terminology for all of radiology; chair of the Informatics Committee of the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN); and co-chair of the Medical Imaging Systems Working Group of the American Medical Informatics Association. For Dr. Rubin's prior blog posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/08/ncis_invivo_ima.html.

Did You Know?

Stanford physicist Fernando Sanford may have discovered the X-ray prior to German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen, who was credited with its discovery in 1895. In an 1894 article entitled "Some Experiments in Electric Photography" published in the Physical Review (V. 11; No. 4), Dr. Sanford described an experiment from 1891 in which he developed "a negative image upon a piece of bromide paper" as well as his method for photographing a coin. He described this later experiment in more detail in an article published in the San Francisco Chronicle on December 31, 1893, entitled "Without Lens or Light." For more information, please see the Stanford Alumni Review from October 1948, pages 10-11, and May 1949, pages 14-15.

Awards and Honors: December 15, 2008

Daniel Rubin, MD, MS, assistant professor, was awarded a Cum Laude Award from the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) for his exhibit, "'Saying It in Pictures': Annotation and Image Markup in Radiology." Of the 1,663 exhibits at the 2008 RSNA, Dr. Rubin's was one of only 56 selected for an award. Dr. Rubin also appears on Radcast@RSNA, along with Dr. Eliot Siegel, discussing his work on the Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Rubin's background is in clinical and investigational radiology as a radiologist and as a researcher. He attended Stanford Medical School and received his master's degree in biomedical informatics. He also completed his residency as well as his body and research fellowships at Stanford University. Dr. Rubin was recruited to Stanford Radiology to participate in building a new section in the information sciences called ISIS (Information Science in Imaging at Stanford). His academic focus is on the intersection of biomedical informatics and imaging science where he is developing computational methods and applications to access and integrate diverse clinical and imaging data; to extract information and meaning from images; to enable data mining and the discovery of image biomarkers; and to translate these methods into practice by creating computer applications that will improve diagnostic accuracy and clinical effectiveness. Dr. Rubin is also chair of the RadLex Steering Committee of the RSNA, an effort to create a standard terminology for all of radiology; chair of the Informatics Committee of the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN); and co-chair of the Medical Imaging Systems Working Group of the American Medical Informatics Association. For Dr. Rubin's prior blog posting, please see http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/08/ncis_invivo_ima.html.

Did You Know?

The functional MRI group is developing strategies to help people mitigate pain, depression, addiction, and impulse control. These MRI techniques provide real-time feedback of the brain during an exam.

Awards and Honors: December 8, 2008

Geoffrey D. Rubin, MD, professor of radiology; chief of cardiovascular imaging; associate dean for clinical affairs; and vice chief of staff, has been awarded a 2008 "Minnie" as the "Most Effective Radiology Educator" from AuntMinnie.com, which annually recognizes two outstanding imaging scientists or physicians in this category with individual Minnies. With 147,000 members, AuntMinnie.com is the world's largest and most comprehensive online medical imaging community. For Dr. Rubin's prior award posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/10/awards_and_hono_58.html.

Awards and Honors II: December 5, 2008

Yi Gu, MS; Frances Lau, MS; Guillem Pratx, MS; Paul Reynolds, MS; and Arne Vandenbrouke, PhD, members of the Molecular Imaging Instrumentation Laboratory (MIIL), received Medical Imaging Conference Trainee Grants to attend the 2008 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Medical Imaging Conference (IEEE MIC) in Dresden, Germany.

Yi Gu, MS, is researching the development of ultra-high resolution 3D positioning PET systems that use the semiconductor cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) instead of scintillation crystals for photon detection. For Mr. Gu's biography, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/12/awards_and_hono_62.html.

Frances Lau, MS, is a PhD candidate at Stanford, where she researches circuits and devices for biomedical applications. Ms. Lau is currently working on the design and development of hardware for a breast cancer imaging PET system. For her prior award posting, please see http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/12/awards_and_hono_24.html .

Arne Vandenbroucke, PhD, postdoctoral scholar, is researching the design of a high sensitivity, high resolution PET scanner for breast cancer imaging. For Dr. Vandenbroucke's biography please access his earlier award postings at http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/03/march_27_2008.html ; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/12/awards_and_hono_24.html ; and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/12/awards_and_hono_23.html.

Awards and Honors I: December 5, 2008

Yi Gu, MS, PhD candidate in electrical engineering and a member of the Molecular Imaging Instrumentation Laboratory (MIIL), was awarded the Bio-X Travel Award for travel to the 2008 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Medical Imaging Conference (IEEE MIC) in Dresden, Germany, where he delivered an oral presentation entitled "Study of a High Resolution, 3-D Positioning Cross-Strip Cadmium Zinc Telluride Detector for PET." This presentation was based on Mr. Gu's dissertation research, which focuses on the development of ultra-high resolution 3D positioning PET systems that use the semiconductor CZT instead of scintillation crystals for photon detection. His other research interests include developing signal processing, modeling, as well as machine learning algorithms, and investigating their applications in medical instrumentation. Prior to entering the PhD program, Mr. Gu received his master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford in 2005. Outside of the lab, he likes to spend time hiking, participating in social dance, playing tennis, and traveling.

Announcements: December 4, 2008

Free Noon Concert by the Voice Students of Claire Giovannetti: 12:15 PM on Friday, December 5, 2008, at the Campbell Recital Hall in the Braun Music Center. Bring your lunch with you and listen to some great music! For more information, please contact Raina Cornejo.

Did You Know?

Stanford Radiology has one of the largest 3D medical imaging laboratories in the U.S. and averages 900 exams per month. The lab converts CT and MRI scan information to a 3D format to improve diagnosis and treatment planning.

Awards and Honors I: November 25, 2008

Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine (cardiology) and radiology, has received the Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation Junior Faculty Grant for his highly innovative basic science research. As a member of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Dr. Wu's lab focuses on cardiovascular gene and cell therapy.

For Dr. Wu's prior awards, please see http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/10/_joseph_wu_md_p.html ; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/06/awards_and_hono_42.html ; and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/04/awards_and_hono_1.html.

Awards and Honors II: November 25, 2008

Yueyi Irene Liu, PhD, recently won the RSNA Trainee Research Prize for her project, "Bayesian Approach to Decision Support for Evaluating Thyroid Nodules Based on Multi-Variate Features," which she is researching in collaboration with Drs. Aya Kamaya, Terry Desser, and Daniel Rubin. She has also received a Stanford Medical Scholars Award to support further research with Dr. Kamaya. Dr. Liu is currently a fourth-year medical student at Stanford, where she also earned her PhD in biomedical informatics using computational methods to identify regions important in gene regulation. She received her BS in biochemistry from Peking University in Beijing, China. When Dr. Liu is not working, she enjoys traveling and hiking.

Awards and Honors: November 24, 2008

Shin Kamaya, BSE, was recently awarded a 2008 Radiological Society of North America Research Trainee Scholar Award for his scientific paper entitled, "Manganese-Enhanced MRI (MEMRI) Functionally Highlights Injured Peripheral Nerves in Neuropathic Pain," which he completed under the mentorship of Dr. Sandip Biswal. Mr. Kamaya grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is currently a third-year medical student at the University of Colorado-Denver. Prior to starting medical school, Mr. Kamaya received his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, spent some time testing cars at GM, and built bridges in Nepal.

To view Mr. Kamaya's prior award posting, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/04/awards_and_hono_37.html.

Awards and Honors: November 21, 2008

Juergen K. Willmann, MD, assistant professor of radiology (abdominal imaging), has received the Radiology 2008 Editor's Recognition Award with Distinction. Dr. Willmann was chosen to receive this highly selective award, which only 105 of approximately 1,000 reviewers have received this year. Prior to becoming an assistant professor at Stanford, Dr. Willmann was a research fellow in the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS) while concurrently an assistant professor of diagnostic radiology at the Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. He received his MD from the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Germany, and was the chief resident of diagnostic radiology at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. His research interests include multimodality molecular imaging of angiogenesis and stem cell therapy and the development of new ultrasonic imaging approaches for the early detection of cancer. When he is not working, Dr. Willmann enjoys fitness training, hiking, and playing the piano. To read Dr. Willmann's prior award postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/05/awards_and_hono_38.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/12/awards_and_hono_21.html; and
http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/02/awards_and_hono_18.html.

Awards and Honors: November 20, 2008

Adam de la Zerda, PhD candidate in the Multimodality Molecular Imaging Laboratory (MMIL), has won three awards in support of his PhD progress: the Young Investigator Award as well as the Student Travel Award from the World Molecular Imaging Congress 2008, and the Bio-X Travel Award. Each of these honors was bestowed on him for his novel work on photoacoustic molecular imaging and its application for tumor molecular imaging using carbon nanotubes. From a group of over 300 candidates, Mr. de la Zerda was selected to receive the Young Investigator Award, which included a competition with oral presentations.

Mentored by Dr. Gambhir, Mr. de la Zerda researches photoacoustic molecular imaging and its broad applications for cancer. He is the PI of two predoctoral grants: one supported by the Department of Defense (DOD) Breast Cancer Research Program and the other by Bio-X. 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 Summa Cum Laude 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 DOD Predoctoral Fellowship and the Bio-X Graduate Student Fellowship, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/07/awards_and_hono_45.html.
To read about Mr. de la Zerda's accomplishments in the Bay Area Entrepreneurship Contest, please see
http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/06/awards_and_hono_6.html.

New Staff Hires and Promotions: November 18, 2008

Shannon Walters, RT (R)(MR), was recently hired as a 3D technologist in the 3D Laboratory. Prior to joining our Department, Mr. Walters worked for Stanford Hospital & Clinics in MRI for two years. He earned his bachelor's degree in the radiologic sciences and is ARRT registered. Mr. Walters and his wife, who works at Stanford in the SHC Ultrasound Section, have a daughter who is twenty-one months old. Besides his daughter, Mr. Walters' other hobbies include mountain biking, camping, and hiking.

The 2008/2009 Annual Update Has Arrived!

Our new 2008/2009 Annual Update has arrived from the printer! This six-page marketing brochure highlights our Department's overall achievements during the past year. Please view our 2008/2009 Annual Update by clicking here: download file.

Stanford Hospital & Clinics Radiology Department Food and Fund Drive

We are proud to announce our 2008 Holiday Food and Fund Drive to support Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Our drive will assist Second Harvest to feed those struggling during these tough economic times.

Since July, Second Harvest has experienced a 55% increase in food requests. For many callers, this is the first time they are tapping into the Food Bank's services. Let's do our part to make sure no child, senior, or family goes hungry this holiday season. I invite you to participate in supporting our community.

Where and How?
To participate . . .

ONLINE: Go to www.virtualharvest.net to make a monetary donation. Every dollar donated can provide two meals. Choose COMPANIES UNDER 250 and choose our organization's name STANFORD HOSPITAL & CLINICS RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT.

ONSITE: Place food donations in the barrels located at North, AMC, or Blake Wilbur.

North: CT, MRI, Ultrasound, Diagnostic, Nuclear Medicine, and Administration/Film Library staff

AMC: All AMC clinic employees

BW: Blake Wilbur clinic employees

Most needed foods include the following:
Meals in a can (stew, chili, and soup)
Peanut Butter

100% Fruit Juices
Canned Fruits
Canned Vegetables

Tuna/Canned Meat
Low-Sugar Cereal
Cans with pop-top lids

When?
Now! Bins will be arriving Monday, November 17, 2008, for distribution. There is no time like the present to participate. Our barrels will be present until Wednesday, November 26, 2008.

The Need
This holiday season is a critical time. If your cupboards are full, please help others who don't know where their next meal will come from. No donation is too small; giving as little as $10 is enough to provide 20 individuals with the most basic human need: food. We are asking everyone to give what they can so that we have 100% participation.

Share
This holiday marks an important time to reach out. Share our event with others who work with us. To help fill your department bin, motivate people in ancillary departments and neighboring clinics such as transporters, ED staff, and physicians. Active participants will be rewarded!

Because 96 cents of every $1 donated to the Food Bank is used to feed hungry people in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, you can be assured your contribution will make a difference. Visit their website at www.SecondHarvestFood.org.

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Linn Dee Barrientos
Business Systems Analyst--Radiology
Stanford Hospital & Clinics
300 Pasteur Drive
Stanford, CA 94305-5513
Tel: (650) 736-8566
Pager: (415) 607-2398 or 13760

Awards and Honors: November 17, 2008

Jill Lin, PhD, postdoctoral scholar in Dr. David Paik's laboratory, was recently granted a travel award by the Helena Anna Henzl Gabor Young Women in Science Fund for travel to the 2009 World Molecular Imaging Congress in Montreal, Canada. Henzl-Gabor Travel Fellowships are awarded to postdoctoral scholars who demonstrate a positive attitude through professional teamwork and collaborations. Dr. Lin's work focuses on mathematical modeling regarding the phenomenon known as oncogene addiction using imaging of conditional expression mouse models, which has led to a quantitative understanding of the biological mechanisms of oncogenes. Her latest work is focused on translational applications including directly applying the model to human lung cancer response to directed therapeutics. The work is done in close collaboration with Dean Felsher in Oncology. Dr. Lin is a member of both MIPS and the newly formed ISIS section, which is focused on information sciences approaches in radiology.

Dr. Lin received her PhD in biomedical and health informatics from the University of Washington where she worked on the image analysis of craiosynostosis skull deformities with Dr. Linda Shapiro. She also received an MS in epidemiology from Stanford and a BS in mathematics from the University of Chicago.

Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS) Retreat 2008

At this year's MIPS retreat on October 8th, approximately 116 people gathered at the Fogarty Winery in Woodside, California, located on Skyline Drive. One of the retreat highlights was the "Words of Wisdom" session, in which faculty shared some of the lessons they have learned along their career paths. Chris Contag, PhD, introduced the key speaker, Stanford Professor of Chemistry Paul Wender, who is also a professor (by courtesy) of chemical and systems biology as well as a member of the Bio-X Program and the Cancer Center. Dr. Wender's address was entitled "The Molecular Revolution and Our Molecular Future." Opening and closing remarks for the one-day retreat were delivered by Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, professor of radiology and bioengineering, director of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, and chief of the Nuclear Medicine Division.

Other highlights included a special presentation on the new departmental section, ISIS (Information Sciences in Imaging at Stanford), by Sylvia Plevritis, PhD; a roundtable discussion; wine tasting; and a prize drawing.

To view retreat photos provided by courtesy of Fred Chin, PhD, please access http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=0f6271b12853bb07&sid=0AaNG7ZqzbN2LDvg. You can read the 2007 MIPS retreat posting by accessing http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/01/2007_mips_retre_1.html.

Celebrating 20 Years of Service at Stanford: Laura J. Pierce, MPA, RT(R)(CT)

Laura J. Pierce, MPA, RT(R)(CT), manager of the Stanford Radiology 3D Laboratory, has served Stanford for 20 years. She began working in the CT Department of Stanford Health Services in 1988 as a CT technologist, where her job duties included 3D imaging. In 1997, Ms. Pierce began working in our Department as manager of our 3D Lab. Prior to coming to Stanford, she worked in the Department of Radiology at Mills Peninsula Hospital in San Mateo, first as the senior radiologic technologist and then as a CT technologist. Ms. Pierce earned her Master of Public Administration from California State University, Hayward; her Bachelor of Arts in the management of information systems from Menlo College in Atherton, CA; and her Associate of Arts Degree in radiologic technology from Canada College in Redwood City, CA. She has co-authored 10 publications, and her numerous awards and honors include a Hounsfield Award from the Society of Computed Body Tomography and Magnetic Resonance.

Ms. Pierce describes her Stanford experience as follows: "I started working in Radiology at SHS in the CT Department, in August of 1988, when my daughter was five and my son was two. Now my daughter has graduated from Menlo College and is getting married, and my son is in his last year at Arizona State. It seems like time just really flies! I started doing 3D imaging with Dr. Geoffrey Rubin in the early 90s, and this led to the creation of the 3D Lab and my present position as manager of the Lab."

When she isn't working, Ms. Pierce can be found reading (she's in two book clubs), and staying physically active through activities such as swimming, skiing, and Pilates.

Did You Know?

Stanford interventional radiologists were the first in the Bay Area to perform radioembolization of liver malignancies.

Institute of Medicine Elects Dr. Gambhir to Membership

Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, has been elected to membership in the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies as one of its youngest members: "election to the IOM is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service."

As chief of the Nuclear Medicine Division, director of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), and professor of radiology as well as bioengineering, Dr. Gambhir has made exceptional contributions to advancing the medical sciences, health care, and public health.

In recognition of this very prestigious award, the Department held a celebration in Dr. Gambhir's honor on Wednesday October 22nd, from 4:00-6:00 PM in the Lucas Center courtyard. Below, please find photos, courtesy of Mark Riesenberger. For Dr. Gambhir's prior blog postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/06/awards_and_hono_41.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/07/nobel_symposium.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/07/stanford_radiol_1.html; http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/04/the_center_for_1.html; and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/02/awards_and_hono_18.html.

National Radiologic Technology Week (NRTW): Nov. 2-8

By Anne Taylor, SH, Business Systems Analyst

National Radiologic Technology Week (NRTW) is an annual celebration that occurs during the first full week in November. Established by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) in July 1979, NRTW is an annual recognition and appreciation of radiologic technologists across the nation that honors and promotes their hard work and important contributions to health care.

This annual event is also a celebration of Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen's discovery of the X-ray in his laboratory on November 8, 1895, which revolutionized science and medicine. He could never have predicted that the art of imaging would be so specifically organized and professed by a group of radiologic technologists who take such pride in their careers.

Radiology includes so much more than obtaining images. The entire team here at Stanford plays such an important role in serving our patients. The scheduling staff, front office assistants, digital image library staff, technologist aids, nurses, and informatics team all play a very specific and crucial role in providing quality imaging studies for diagnosis and treatment.

The Department of Radiology at Stanford Hospital & Clinics is committed to improving health through excellence in image-based patient care, research, and education by embracing the latest advances in imaging techniques and by utilizing state-of-the-art equipment.

During National Radiologic Technology Week (NRTW), we celebrate all who contribute to the success of Stanford Radiology.

Dr. Federle's Welcome Dinner

On Monday, October 6th, the Abdominal Imaging Section of Stanford Radiology held a dinner in honor of Dr. Federle to celebrate his appointment as our associate chair for education. The dinner was held at Il Fornaio Restaurant in downtown Palo Alto.

(Images courtesy of Dr. Aya Kamaya)

Radiological Sciences Laboratory (RSL) Retreat 2008

On Tuesday, September 23rd, the 10th annual RSL Retreat 2008 began with lunch on the beach at the Asilomar Conference Grounds. By the beginning of the retreat program, there were 102 people in attendance to watch the RSL Group introductions, which were entertaining as well as informative. If you would like to view a few of these introductions, please click on the following links:

Dr. Fahrig's Group; Dr. Pelc's Group; and Dr. Spielman's Group.

Our retreat also featured keynote speaker Dr. Charles Taylor from the Department of BioEngineering. Other retreat events included a presentation by Drs. Napel and Plevritis regarding our new departmental section, ISIS (Information Sciences in Imaging at Stanford) as well as a workshop entitled "Life after School Ends" with Brian Hargreaves, PhD, assistant professor of radiology, and RSL alumni Kris Wedding, PhD, assistant professor of physics at Carleton College, and Alex de Crespigny, PhD, Head of Biomedical Physics at GSK's new Clinical Imaging Centre at Hammersmith Hospital in London and Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Clinical Neurology at Oxford.

In addition to Jeopardy!, a delicious BBQ dinner, volleyball, and karaoke, we had a photo hunt, which included three categories for photo submission. The winner of each category will have his or her winning photo hung on a wall in the Lucas Center. The three categories and the winning photos and their photographers were as follows:

Category #1. "Wow, You Took This at Asilomar?"
Is there anything besides trees, sand, and water in Asilomar?
Is there a special view from your room? Perhaps an antique in a corner that everyone overlooked?

Winning Photo for Category #1 by Stefan Skare, PhD

Category 2. "Anything but People."
Not a human soul in the photo; no exceptions!

Winning Photo for Category #2 by Aloma D'Souza, PhD

Category #3. "This Is Why I Come to the Retreat."
Maybe a photo showing bonding between colleagues, a photo of you swimming with dolphins, or saving a dear in mortal danger

Winning Photo for Category #3 by Sandy Napel, PhD

The retreat ended with our Town Hall Meeting. For a brief description of the issues discussed, please see Donna Cronister's summary below. Thanks to the following retreat committee members for a wonderful retreat: Priti Balchandani, PhD; David Clayton, PhD; Gary Glover, PhD; Andrew Holbrook, PhD; Christine Law, PhD; Sam Mazin, PhD; and Norbert Pelc, ScD. For the blog posting from last year's retreat, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/10/2007_rsl_postre_1.html. (For more retreat photos taken by Michelle Christierson and Aloma D'Souza, PhD, please see the very end of this article.)

TOWN HALL MEETING SUMMARY by Donna Cronister, administrative services manager and administrative director for the Lucas Service Center

"For those or you who did not receive an RSL mug, please let me know. Also, for those of you who have not received a sweatshirt (given out at the retreat last year and afterwards), please send me an email with your size. If you have already given me this information, please disregard this request.

Mark your calendars, our 2009 retreat dates are 9/16-9/17. I am hoping this earlier date will mean that there will be no overlap with the start of classes.

We have been working on some of the issues brought up at the Town Hall Meeting. A good percentage of the concerns centered around facility issues. A lively discussion ensued about basement-level refrigerators, in addition to other items sent to Andrew for discussion.

1. Refrigerators in basement. Two fold attack: one is to replace the older model with a new energy efficient model. This is in the works as we speak. The other is to do a major cleaning job to get us started towards a newer, gentler, less odoriferous environment. Anne has volunteered to clean the refrigerators. Thanks Anne. We should have drawn straws for this event, but we do appreciate your taking the initiative. More importantly, establish new guidelines as listed below (some may work--or not . . . but we can only try):

a. Label food with name/date in;

b. Do not keep massive quantities of food here. Because this is a shared resource, please do not bring a month's worth of food. Be mindful of others' storage needs;

c. More frequent cleanings. Perhaps, everyone's name (including our MIPS colleagues) should go in a hat and be drawn at two-week intervals, maybe at happy hour (one need not be present to win, or lose, depending on if you see the glass half empty or half full). Two people should be able to make short order of the task of discarding expired or offending science projects and a quick wipe down. We will keep cleaning supplies on hand to assist with this task.

d. Personal responsibility: as you put food in, eat it or remove it. You spill, you clean up! Pretty easy math!

2. Sub-level refrigerator. Fresh drinking water: The fridge at this level has an automatic water dispenser; however, the filter has not been changed. Gary has asked that our facilities folks do regular preventative maintenance, so this should become a non-issue. We can also site a water cooler in the sub-level. I don't know if we can plumb one in, but we could put a free standing unit and have water bottles delivered bi-weekly ($~30/month).

3. Bathrooms: I think a large problem with the basement-level restroom maintenance issue is the sheer volume of folks using this restroom. This floor now houses ~115 full-time people. In addition, the Learning Center brings another high volume; 2 resident conferences per day (~30 people) and now the clerkships are held here 6 hours per day (3 hours AM; 3 hours PM) drawing another 15-20 people per day to use the facilities. Gary is working on the battery operated faucet and low-flow toilet problems, but I don't know if anyone has a quick answer/remedy for general cleanliness. Privacy wall is still an issue.

4. Sticky residue on tables and chairs in the light well: Again, no quick fixes in sight. I am going to purchase some oilskin table cloths for the tables. These are easy to clean. We will keep cleaning supplies handy in the kitchen area. Realistically, we cannot expect the housekeeping staff to clean these daily, or, even if they did, that it would eradicate the problem. Possible solutions include more umbrella's to cover the items or an easy up to store the furniture when not used. Removable seat covers? Your ideas are welcome!!

5. Window washing. Both internal and external: Two times per year is not enough. Is there funding to have them done more often? During the swallow season, more University-level facilities' involvement/$$ to eradicate the bird droppings.

6. Second floor carpeting: Is cleaning enough? Probably not is the consensus. Cost is borne by the Department--not the University (I have lobbied for University funds to replace the carpeting and was shot down). We did have a quote awhile back in the neighborhood of $40K. Will need departmental buy-in for this expense. Source other vendors for more economical carpet installation?

7. Dedicated computer for the poster printer: Tom to look into this. Also, dedicated/shared space for the document scanner on the basement level. Same location as poster-printer computer? Same computer?

8. Go pass/transportation subsidies for graduate students: This issue was raised and discussed. Moriah, who trumpeted this issue with the Graduate Student Association, explained the University/Cal Trans/graduate student increased fee positions on this matter. The problem is certainly understood, but no resolution is clear at this point.

9. Graduate students sitting in postdoc space: Brian explained that this should be a non-issue, as graduate students should be asked to vacate said space if a postdoc needs a desk.

10. Elevator safety issue: This is a health and safety issue, which will be addressed immediately. In the future, please let John Mendoza (our facilities manager) know as soon as a problem such as this is encountered. If you cannot find John, please contact me, and I'll have the appropriate maintenance folks out to survey and fix the problem.

The admin. staff will be giving a presentation at an RSL meeting to be announced. We will cover a number of issues that were discussed at last year's Town Hall Meeting (please see http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/10/2007_rsl_postre_1.html). If you have any administrative issues that you would like us to discuss, please drop me a line, and we will include (or attempt to include) them in our presentation.

I'm sure there were other things discussed, but these are those that stuck in my mind.

Thanks for a retreat well done!"

Awards and Honors: October 21, 2008

Geoffrey D. Rubin, MD, professor of radiology; chief of cardiovascular imaging; vice chief of staff; and associate dean for clinical affairs, has been selected to present the annual Charles T. Dotter Memorial Lecture at the 2008 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association on November 11th in New Orleans, Louisiana. His presentation, "More Surprises from the Healthy Donut," explores the evolving role of computed tomography in the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular diseases.

Stanford Radiology Welcomes Associate Chair for Education Michael Federle, MD

By Julie Ruiz, PhD

As our new associate chair for education, Michael Federle, MD, is transforming our educational programs at all levels, from medical students to practicing radiologists, by channeling the excellent technical and personal resources in our Department and on campus.

Since he arrived at Stanford this fall, he has been excited about the outpouring of support from faculty: "There are so many faculty members in our Department who are already integrating new teaching methods into the classroom and who are eager to play an important role in transforming education. One of the enticements for coming here was the opportunity to work with such bright and supportive colleagues." Dr. Federle has already initiated weekly teaching sessions with the body imaging fellows, and he will be taking an active role in our Continuing Medical Education (CME) Program. He is also working to ensure that there is dedicated space for radiology as part of the Immersive & Simulation-Based Learning Center at Stanford's Li Ka Shing Center for Learning and Knowledge.

Medical student education is one area in which Dr. Federle is also making a significant impact:

"I really think that Stanford medical students are not getting as much exposure to radiology as they should, and I want radiology to be part of their curriculum from day one and to play an integral role throughout all four years of their medical education." Towards this end, Dr. Federle has met with the Medical Student Curriculum Committee and with faculty from departments such as Anatomy to discuss improving and updating medical student education. As a result, Dr. Federle will be teaching part of the Anatomy course and integrating different teaching methods into the classroom, such as virtual dissections and 3D modeling. Overcoming the pervasive campus culture weighted towards new research and technological developments will be another challenge he will face in his new role as associate chair: "I have to work to assure that the clinical and educational parts of our mission are given their due time and resources to keep everything in balance."

Dr. Federle brings a wealth of expertise to our Department and its mission of improving health through excellence in image-based patient care, research, and education. He completed his undergraduate degree in biology at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and went on to graduate from medical school at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. After finishing his internship in internal medicine at the University of Cincinnati Hospital in Ohio, he decided that radiology was more interesting. He applied to and was accepted at the radiology residency program of the University of Cincinnati.

At the completion of his residency, Dr. Federle began teaching at the University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF) as a clinical instructor and then as a professor. As a clinical instructor, Dr. Federle had the opportunity to interact with many of his current Stanford colleagues such as Drs. Barth, Glazer, Herfkens, Jeffrey, and Van Dalsem. During his 10 years at UCSF, he served in a variety of prominent positions including chief of radiology; vice chair of radiology; section chief of CT body scanning and GI radiology; and chief of the medical staff. Prior to coming to our Department, he was the director of abdominal imaging for 16 of his 19 years at the University of Pittsburgh, where he also served as the chair of radiology as well as the chief of quality process and improvement.

Dr. Federle's interest in teaching began when he was an undergraduate: "I really enjoy finding new knowledge and transmitting it to others. It doesn't matter what the content is. So I studied biology as well as English and philosophy as an undergraduate; I thought I would end up teaching English. I eventually decided on medicine as a career even though I had no role models in the field because I come from a long line of farmers from southern Indiana." Throughout his career, his teaching duties have spanned the spectrum from teaching beginning medical students to teaching the most sophisticated subspecialty radiologists, and he has enjoyed the unique challenges of educating such a variety of audiences.

His numerous awards attest to his teaching talents. Dr. Federle has been awarded Teacher of the Year multiple times throughout his career. In 2007, the residents at the University of Pittsburgh created an award in his honor, the Michael P. Federle Mentorship Award. The residents developed this award to recognize Dr. Federle not only for his remarkable teaching but also for his service as a role model and mentor to future radiologists. In addition to his teaching, Dr. Federle's research accomplishments include 238 peer-reviewed journal articles and 17 books.

Dr. Federle is also a co-founder of Amirsys, which is a company that produces radiology textbooks to provide decision support to radiologists and to guide them in making diagnoses. He established the company along with Rick Harnsberger, MD, and Anne Osbourn, MD, neuroradiologists from the Radiology Department at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Each series that Amirsys publishes is based on the experiences of authors from around the country: "Our series of textbooks cover the entire spectrum of every specialty in radiology, and each have become the bestsellers in their field. Our online decision-support product, STATdx, is now used in several thousand radiology departments across the country including the great majority of training programs." Dr. Federle and his colleagues have just finished a new Expert Differential Diagnosis Series, which will be coming out at the 2008 Annual Conference of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). His contribution will be a section on the abdomen: "Writing for Amirsys is both a vocation and avocation; I really, really enjoy the whole process from gathering interesting cases to writing them up. I can lose myself for hours doing that."

After 19 years, Dr. Federle is excited to be back in the Bay Area and at Stanford: "I greatly admire my colleagues in Radiology. This is a satisfying and stimulating environment." Although he has been away from Stanford for many years, Dr. Federle's older son, Andrew, attended Stanford as an undergraduate. Andrew and his wife now live in Toronto, where he is an Episcopal priest. Dr. Federle's younger son, Tim, has performed on Broadway in New York, where he was part of the original cast of "The Little Mermaid." He is currently the choreographer and associate director for a new Broadway play, "The Prairie," which is based on the book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

When he's not in his office, you will probably find Dr. Federle on the Stanford golf course. At his golf course in Pittsburgh, he made a hole in one at the 15th hole from 165 yards away. He hopes to improve his shot at Stanford.

The Radiology Interest Group at Stanford (RIGS) "Meet and Greet" will include a panel discussion, a light dinner, and informal socializing with the faculty. Please bring your questions about radiology and life as a radiologist. Faculty from both diagnostic and interventional radiology at Stanford as well as residents and fellows will be present. Please RSVP to Bhargav Raman (ramanb@stanford.edu).

RIGS supports "interest in the field of radiology and provides advice to those who wish to pursue radiology as a career. RIGS holds events to provide medical students a better idea of what radiology is and what the various imaging specialties are, to guide those applying to residencies in this field, and to encourage women and minorities to consider a career in radiology; these events also allow medical students the opportunity to meet radiology physicians and residents. In addition, RIGS is a resource for those interested in research opportunities in the field of radiology" (from the RIGS Web site at http://rigs.stanford.edu/). Please contact Harpreet Dhatt (harpsd@gmail.com) for more information.

To read prior Radiology Interest Group at Stanford (RIGS) postings, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/11/radiology_inter_1.html and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/08/inside_terroris_1.html.

Awards and Honors: October 20, 2008

Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine (cardiology) and radiology, has been awarded the New Innovator Award from the National Institute of Health. This award is designed to stimulate highly innovative research and to support promising new investigators. Dr. Wu received the New Innovator Award for his research on pluripotent stem cells, which can develop into a wide variety of cell types. Dr. Wu's research produces pluripotent stems cells by turning skin cells into embryonic-like stem cells by using microRNAs, which are single-stranded RNA molecules that are involved in regulating gene expression. To read more about Dr. Wu's award, please access "Creative Thinking Nets Stanford Researchers Two NIH Pioneer Awards, Three New Innovator Awards" at the following link: http://med.stanford.edu/news_releases/2008/september/pioneer.html.

For Dr. Wu's prior awards, please see http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/06/awards_and_hono_42.html and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/04/awards_and_hono_1.html.

Celebrating 5 Years of Service: Dirk Mayer, PhD

Dirk Mayer, PhD, senior research scientist, has been working as a Stanford senior research associate (50%) and as a research scientist (50%) at SRI International since 2007. As a senior research associate at the Lucas Center, Dr. Mayer works with Dan Spielman, PhD, focusing on the hyperpolarizer project, and with Drs. Pfefferbaum and Sullivan at SRI International. He originally came to Stanford as a postdoctoral scholar in October 2000, when he began working with Dr. Spielman, PhD, on MR spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging. Three years later, he started as a research associate in the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS) under the guidance of Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD, professor of radiology and bioengineering, and head of the Nuclear Medicine Division. Dr. Mayer's hobbies include basketball, scuba diving, and cooking.

Did You Know?

The Stanford Breast Imaging Program has been instrumental in making new MRI techniques available to at-risk patients far in advance of commercial availability.

Celebrating 5 Years of Service: David Clayton, PhD

David Clayton, PhD, research and development engineer, has worked at Stanford for over five years. Prior to working at Stanford, Dr. Clayton studied physics and ran cross-country and track as an undergraduate at Rutgers University. After graduation, he earned his MS in physics at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a PhD in biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2000, he began working at the Lucas Center as a postdoctoral fellow, researching novel techniques for spectroscopic MR imaging with clinical applications. Three years later, he became a research associate, focusing on improving acquisition and reconstruction methods for parallel MR imaging. In his current position, Dr. Clayton develops software for database management, web sites, and scanner quality assurance for the Lucas Center and Radiology Department. When not working, he enjoys running, cycling, hiking, backpacking, and skiing.

(Image courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)

Celebrating 5 Years of Service: Murugesan Subbarayan, PhD

Murugesan Subbarayan, PhD, physical science research associate, has worked in our Department for five years. Prior to coming to Stanford, Dr. Subbarayan obtained his BS in physics from Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu, India, and his MS and PhD in applied biological chemistry from Bombay University, Mumbai, India. He spent twenty years as a nuclear medicine scientist in the Radiation Medicine Center at the Tata Memorial Hospital Annex in Mumbai, India. In 2000, he began a two-year position as a postdoctoral research associate at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2002, Dr. Subbarayan worked in Dr. Gambhir's laboratory at the University of California, Los Angeles, before coming to Stanford in 2003 as a physical science research associate in the Radiochemistry Facility of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS).

In addition to over 30 publications, Dr. Subbarayan's awards include the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) Award as a Visiting Scientist at the Fox Chase Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology; an American Society for Photobiology Travel Award; an American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Scholar Award; and an American Society for Photobiology Travel Award. During his career, he has also developed and standardized a radioiodinated meta-iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) for the first time in India, which was made available locally for the detection and treatment of neural crest tumors. Dr. Subbarayan also holds two Indian patent rights on second generation photosensitizers porphyrin and chlorin derivatives. Along with the Head of Cylotron Radiochemistry Fred Chin, PhD, Dr. Subbarayan is producing a useful molecular probe for monitoring the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents in cancer patients called 18F-Fluorouracil for upcoming human studies.

Dr. Subbarayan's hobbies are meditation and reading.

New Staff Hires and Promotions: September 29, 2008

Armando Mendoza, RT (MR), recently joined our Department as a radiology assistant in the Radiological Sciences Laboratory (RSL) where he reports to Anne Sawyer, BS, RT (R)(MR), FSMRT. Originally from the Philippines, Mr. Mendoza received his bachelor's degree in business administration in 1989 and left San Jose, California, for Indiana in 1991. While out of state, he worked initially as a travelling radiologic technologist; then, as a travelling MRI technologist; and next, as the imaging director at Terre Haute Regional Hospital. Prior to coming to Stanford in 2008, he was an MRI application specialist. When he is not at work, Mr. Mendoza enjoys playing golf, volleyball, and basketball as well as spending time with his nieces and nephews (please see the photo on the left).

Awards and Honors: September 29, 2008

Scott W. Atlas, MD, professor and chief of neuroradiology and senior fellow at both the Hoover Institution and Freeman-Spogli Institute for International Studies, has been selected as a 2008 Homecoming Comeback Guest by his alma mater, the University of Illinois. Dr. Atlas adds his name to a distinguished Illinois alumni list, which includes Governor Jon Corzine; former GE CEO Jack Welch; Netscape Founder Marc Andreesen; and Nobel Prize Winner Jack Kilby. The Homecoming tradition began at the University of Illinois in 1910, and Dr. Atlas will ride as a marshal in the Homecoming Parade and will be honored at the 50-yard line during the Homecoming Football Game at half time.

Dr. Atlas has authored more than 100 scientific publications in leading journals, and he is the editor of the foremost textbook within his field, Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain and Spine. Recognized throughout the world as a leader in educational and clinical research, Dr. Atlas serves on the Nominating Committee for the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology. He is also an adviser to major industry leaders in medical technology, and he has a special interest in healthcare public policy.

For Dr. Atlas' prior blog entry, please access Awards and Honors: March-April 2007.

Dr. Basu Completes the 2008 J.T. Rutherford Government Relations Fellowship

(From left to right: Congressional Representative Bono, Dr. Basu, and Congressional Representative Mack)

This past summer, Chief Resident Pat Auveek Basu, MD, MBA, spent one week meeting with congressional members (please see a few of their photos below) as well as representatives of federal regulatory agencies in Washington D.C. as a Fellow in the J.T. Rutherford Government Relations Fellowship from the American College of Radiology (ACR). This fellowship exposed him to state and federal legislative and regulatory processes that directly affect the future of radiology. Dr. Basu described his fellowship as "a unique educational experience, an enriching professional opportunity, and a very productive endeavor." He summarized his experience as follows:

"Despite interning in Congress and working on a senate campaign, this was the deepest I have been immersed in the politics of the nation's Capitol. I met with lobbyists about issues we face in our practice; briefed an investment firm on my economic outlook for the industry; and attended seminars on policy and legal matters in radiology. However, the highlight was meeting with close to a dozen congressional representatives and senators to discuss matters pertaining to healthcare policy and economics. The discussion revolved around the recent passing of H.R. 6331, which prevented a drastic cut to physician salaries, mandated accreditation for performing CT and MRI scans, and defined appropriateness criteria for medical imaging. We also had detailed discussions on health reform and the importance of radiology in modern medicine. Recently, I arranged for Congresswoman Anna Eshoo to visit the Department of Radiology this fall.

My interactions with U.S. congressional representatives reminded me how critical it is to maintain and support government relations as our legislators can make broad sweeping changes with only a limited amount of information because they are dealing with such a broad range of issues. In many of my interactions with Congress and the Senate, I felt that I was providing new information to them. For example, several were not familiar with the fact that radiologists do NOT self refer and, thus, have little power over imaging growth. In addition, I educated them on the fact that radiologists have replaced many archaic diagnostic and therapeutic exams, which has led to cost savings and better health outcomes.

I believe that political advocacy is paramount for all radiologists and, that in the future, their patients' health may depend on such vigilance."

For prior blog entries regarding Dr. Basu's awards and honors, please access the following postings: Awards and Honors II: July 15, 2008; Awards and Honors: February 2007; Awards and Honors: August 13, 2007; and "Our New Chief Residents for 2008-2009."

(Dr. Basu and Congressional Representative Bean)

(Dr. Basu and Congressional Representative Davis)

(Dr. Basu and Congressional Representative Jackson)

(Dr. Basu and Congressional Representative Sullivan)

Celebrating 5 Years of Service at Stanford: David Russel, MS

David Russel, MS, facilities manager, has completed five years of service at Stanford. Although born in Manhattan, New York, Mr. Russel grew up mainly in Chicago and Evanston, Illinois, but also lived in New Rochelle, New York, and San Francisco, California, before settling on the Peninsula. He earned his BA in the biological sciences from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, and his MS in the biological sciences from Stanford, completing all of his classes at the Hopkins Marine Station. In addition to earning his degrees in science, Mr. Russel's work background includes six years at the University of California, San Francisco, and a position with Dr. Herb Boyer (before Genentech was founded), where he started as a lab technician but as time went on his duties expanded to include facilities management, operations, planning, and design.

Outside of work, Mr. Russel enjoys travelling. He once bought a "Round-the-World" stand-by ticket from Pan Am for $999.00 as part of their promotion entitled "Around the World in 80 Days for under $1,000." During this trip, he spent 77 days on the road visiting Guam, Palau, Pelelieu, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand (mainly Bangkok and Chengmai), Istanbul, and Israel (including the Sinai Peninsula), doing a great deal of scuba diving and underwater photography. On other trips, he has traveled to many western European countries, Canada, Mexico, and Costa Rica.

However, Mr. Russel's main hobby is old cars. He is an active member of the Arcane Auto Society, and he currently owns three vintage Citroens (please see the first picture below). He does the maintenance (and most repairs) himself, and he drives his cars frequently, participating in local parades, fairs, and car shows. At least one day each week, you will see him driving one of these cars to work.

(From left to right: 1956 Traction Avant; 1986 2CV; and 1965 station wagon)

(1956 Traction Avant)

Did You Know?

Stanford Radiologists are developing computer models to improve the understanding of cancer activity.

Celebrating 10 Years of Service at Stanford: Irina Worthey, MA

Irina Worthey, MA, residency program coordinator, is celebrating 10 years at Stanford University. She grew up in Moscow, Russia, where she attended the Moscow Academy of Architecture and earned her MA in architecture, history of architecture, and history of arts. After to moving to the United States around 1988, Irina worked in the Slavic Department at the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining our Department, she worked at Stanford Libraries and the Hoover Institution. Her hobbies include graphics, illustrations (please see a few of these--"flu," "happiness," and "headache"--posted below), and creative writing. This spring, a book of her short stories will be published in Russia.

New 64-Slice Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner Installed at Stanford Hospital

(Front row: Carol Estades, AA; Colleen Kawakami, RN; James Soriano, RT; Amy Wu, RT) (Back row: Brooke Jeffrey, MD; Dominik Fleischmann, MD; Erica Durand, RT; Monglan Duong, RT; Michele Thomas, RT, CT Supervisor; Dottie Scharff, RN; Claudia Cooper, RT, Clinical Director; Audrey Strain, RT)

By Julie Ruiz, PhD
(Images courtesy of Mark Riesenberger)

With the recent installation of a 64-slice CT scanner, the Hospital is performing state-of-the-art CT coronary studies for the first time in its history on inpatients and patients admitted to the emergency room with chest pain. Because of its improved detector technology and rotation speed, this new CT scanner produces a greater number of higher resolution images with shorter acquisition times and with a reduction in radiation exposure in smaller patients through individualized protocols.

Prior to the installation of the 64-slice scanner in the Hospital, coronary CT studies were performed at Blake Wilbur Clinic on an outpatient 64-channel system, but the Hospital is now performing state-of-the-art CT coronary angios on its inpatients and patients from the emergency room. With most "elective" outpatient CT scans still being completed at Blake Wilbur and more recently on the 64-channel CT scanner and dual-source CT scanner at Stanford Medicine Imaging Center (Palo Alto), the Hospital has greatly improved the availability of scanner slots for its inpatients and emergency room patients. Due to the striking improvements in image quality, number, and acquisition times provided by the new scanner, the Hospital can also better triage and manage emergency room patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes.

Cardiac imaging is just one area of patient care that the 64-slice CT scanner has dramatically improved. According to technologists Monglan Duong, RT, and James Soriana, RT, faster scan times mean a decrease in breath hold times for patients and an increase in the number and quality of images. For example, a typical chest scan on a 16-slice CT scanner takes 10 to 12 seconds compared to the new 64-slice scanner, which can finish a chest scan in 2 to 4 seconds. For gated-CT angio-chest-abdomen-pelvis studies on our new CT machine, patients can be scanned in 20 seconds, cutting breath hold times in half. While a 16-slice CT scanner generates around 300 to 400 images at 1.25 mm thickness for a routine chest-abdomen-pelvis scan, the 64-slice CT scanner can create 1,500 to 1,700 images at 0.625 mm thickness in less time. The faster scan speed also allows less contrast medium to be used in some cardiovascular applications.

All these improvements translate into an exciting environment for CT technologists and their supervisor, Michele Thomas, RT. Monglan Duong, RT, and James Soriana, RT, commented that the new 64-slice CT scanner has greatly increased the patient volume compared to the 8-slice and 16-slice CT scanners they currently have, and they succinctly described their reaction to the new technology: "We love it!" Since July, the Hospital has scanned more than 950 patients on the new scanner.

Paradoxically, the shorter scan times have made the planning of CT studies more challenging, requiring a greater attention to detail in order to customize a specific CT examination to an individual patient's body size, heart rate, and clinical question. Specific protocols and careful study planning are needed to take advantage of the powerful technology, which acquires data in just a few seconds when launched. The post processing of images from the 64-slice scanner is also more demanding. To extract the most useful data, the CT technologists and 3D lab must do complex reformations of the data sets. All of our technologists are highly experienced and motivated to perform this sophisticated planning and post processing, so that they can generate the best clinical images for our patients.

For prior Scan Times articles on the 3D lab and the Hospital CT team, please access http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2007/04/3d_laboratory_c_1.html and http://radiology.stanford.edu/blog/archives/2008/03/stanford_hospit.html.

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 Technology 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 Technology (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. Dr. 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 Dr. 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.

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 Lance Armstrong 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