Current Research Topics

The Abdominal Imaging Section has a long history of clinical research. Current research topics include a combined study with the nephrology department on hemodynamics and vascular wall biology of arteriovenous fistula formation, a study of the adequacy of percutaneous drainage in complicated abdominal infections, evaluation of U-tube drainage in the management of complicated pancreatitis, and evaluation of a mouse model utilizing high field MRI to assess chemotherapeutic response in small cell lung cancer. Body CT Protocols

Radiologic Tests:

The American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) provide descriptions of various abdominal imaging tests and other procedures on their website: RadiologyInfo. RadiologyInfo answers patient questions related to many radiologic procedures and therapies.

Active Research/Grants

The Utility of Endo-rectal MRI and MR Spectroscopic Imaging for Pre-Operative Staging of Prostate Cancer at 3 Tesla
IRB# 2013-2316

• The goal of this project is to determine the benefits of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) combined with Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI), diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and contrast enhanced imaging (CE-MRI) at 3.0 Tesla (T) in prostate cancer patients.

Prostate Cancer: Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Detection of Extra capsular Extension and Differentiation of Malignant versus Benign Tissue. SUR Research Grant

• The goal of this project is to evaluate the use of a new single-shot fast-spin echo diffusion sequence for detection and improved assessment of prostate cancer extent in patient studies at 3.0 Tesla.

Value of 3Tesla MRI in detecting and targeting lesions for transrectal ultrasound guided biopsies in patients with high clinical suspicion of prostate cancer. RSNA medical student grant

• The goal of this project is to determine if 3T MRI can improve the accuracy to identify, localize, and target prostate cancer foci directing Trans Rectal Ultrasound Guided biopsy to the most suspicious locations in the prostate gland.