Cardiovascular Imaging Fellowship

Overview

Cleveland Clinic’s Imaging Institute is currently accepting applications for two fellowship positions in the Section of Cardiovascular Imaging with combined training opportunities with the Thoracic section.

This fellowship is designed to train cardiovascular radiology specialists in advanced Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, and Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. At the end of the fellowship, trainees will be experts in CVMRI and CT with a foundation in research and will be well positioned to become leaders in the arena of CV Imaging.

Currently, over 5,00 cardiac MRIs and over 20,000 cardiac CTs are performed at Cleveland Clinic each year. The Cardiovascular Imaging Center has a large staff of radiologists, cardiologists, and pediatric cardiologists dedicated to cardiovascular imaging and encompassing a broad range of expertise.

The Section of Cardiovascular Imaging is physically located within the Miller Pavilion, home to the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, giving the fellow the opportunity to also serve as an integral member of a multi-disciplinary clinical team. There is active research in all areas of cardiovascular imaging, including ventricular mechanics, ischemic heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, and valvular disease. The Section has two dedicated clinical MRI scanners (1.5 T and 3.0 T), a dedicated research MRI scanner (3.0T), and two dedicated dual-source CT scanners. Apart from the research MRI scanner held at the Mellen Center, the clinical MRI and dual source CT scanners are close to the section coordinator and the physicians’ offices and workspace. Further, additional cardiovascular MRI and CT scans are acquired from multiple MRI and CT scanners across the regional Cleveland Clinic network of hospitals and imaging centers.

The one-year program is designed to offer training and expertise in cardiovascular magnetic resonance and computed tomography and to begin research in cardiovascular imaging. Most of the fellow’s time will be spent in the Cardiovascular Imaging Laboratory (CVIL) where the cardiovascular CT and MRI scanners reside. The CVIL is co-staffed and run by cardiac radiologists and cardiologists expertly trained in the two modalities and fields.

For interested trainees, and by mutual agreement, a second year of fellowship training can be completed. The second-year program will continue and further clinical expertise in CVMRI and CT, with possible rotations in thoracic radiology, echocardiography or nuclear imaging, and an increased focus on research.

CV Computed Tomography

At the end of the training the fellow can achieve level III clinical competence accomplished by at least six months of cumulative training.

Multiple weeks of formal lectures will be imparted by Cleveland Clinic Foundation staff and guest speakers. The training will provide expertise in the following areas:

• Non-contrast CT.
  • Coronary calcification and quantitation determination, pre-operative.
• Coronary angiography.
• Learn how to perform, supervise, and interpret a coronary CTA.
  • Laboratory requirements.
  • Radiation safety.
  • Contrast administration.
  • Pharmacologic interventions and safety.
• Expertise in CTA interpretation.
• Other cardiac indications of CT/CTA.
  • Pulmonary vein evaluation.
  • Pre ventricular ablation planning.
  • Diseases of the thoracoabdominal aorta.
  • Pericardial diseases.
  • Tumors and masses of the heart.
  • Valvular disease assessment through CT imaging for structural heart intervention planning.
• Extra-cardiac anatomy and pathology.
  • Recognition of significant pathology and appropriate pathways for triage and/or follow-up.

CV Magnetic Resonance Imaging

At the end of the training the fellow can achieve level III clinical competence accomplished by 12 months of cumulative training in the CVIL.

The curriculum includes:

• Physics of MRI/MRA.
• Safety issues in MRI.
• Pulse sequences used in cardiovascular MRI/MRA.
• Scanning techniques from basic to advanced.
• Interpretation of cardiac MRI/MRA from basic to advanced.
• MR in coronary artery disease.
  • Acquire skills in performance and interpretation of:
    • Left and right ventricular function – both global and segmental, and qualitative and quantitative.
    • Tissue characterization in cardiomyopathies and infiltrative disorders mimicking ischemic disease.
    • Ischemia evaluation with first pass myocardial perfusion.
    • Myocardial viability determination with delayed enhancement imaging.
    • Myocardial characterization with parametric mapping.
  • MRI in valvular disease.
    • Scanning techniques for evaluation of native and prosthetic valve function.
    • Phase contrast imaging for quantitative assessment of vascular and cardiac chamber flows and volumes.
  • Advanced aortic and peripheral vascular imaging with MRA, flow measurements, and compliance evaluations.
  • MRI in congenital heart disease focused on adult.

Echocardiography & Nuclear Imaging

Trainees with interest in echocardiography and/or cardiac nuclear imaging will have the opportunity to participate in such rotations, as available and by mutual agreement with the respective sections.

Faculty

Michael Bolen, MD
Program Director

Milind Desai, MD

Agostina Fava, MD

Subha Ghosh, MD

Richard Grimm, DO

Neha Gupta, MD

Serge Harb, MD

Christine Jellis, MD, PhD

Vidyasagar Kalahasti, MD

Karunakaravel Karuppasamy, MD

Allan Klein, MD

Rukmini Komarlu, MD

Deborah Kwon, MD

Saberio Vegam Lo Presti, MD

Zoran Popovic, MD, PhD

Jay Ramchand, MD, PhD

Rahul Renapurkar, MD

Leonardo Rodriguez, MD

Paul Schoenhagen, MD

Nicholas Szugye, MD

Animesh Tandon, MD

Justin Tretter, MD

Tom K. Wang, MD

Bo Xu, MD

Shazoxing Zhang, MD

How to Apply

We offer two cardiovascular imaging fellowships: a one-year fellowship for radiology trained physicians and a two-year fellowship program for cardiology trained physicians with combined training opportunities in Thoracic Imaging. Please direct any questions and/or complete the fellowship application and send with current curriculum vitae, medical school transcripts, and 2-3 letters of reference to the appropriate program director and program coordinator.

• Download the fellowship application

Cardiovascular Imaging Fellowship
This one-year program is for radiology-trained physicians.

Michael Bolen, MD
Program Director
Cardiovascular Imaging Fellowship Program
Cleveland Clinic Imaging Institute
9500 Euclid Ave., J14
Cleveland, OH 44195
216.636.6168

Breanna Unzueta
Fellowship Coordinator
Cleveland Clinic Imaging Institute
9500 Euclid Ave., J14
Cleveland, OH 44195
216.636.5544
Unzuetb2@ccf.org

Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Fellowship
This two-year program is for Cardiology trained physicians who have completed a cardiology fellowship.

L. Leonardo Rodriguez, MD
Program Director
Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Fellowship Program
Cleveland Clinic
Cardiovascular Medicine
9500 Euclid Ave., J15
Cleveland, OH 44195
216.445.2149
rodrigl@ccf.org

Millie Cuevas
Fellowship Coordinator
Cleveland Clinic
Cardiovascular Medicine
9500 Euclid Ave. – J2-3
Cleveland, OH 44195
216.636.6932
cuevasm@ccf.org

Subsequent required interviews will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Please take a moment to review a listing of all the requirements that must be met to train at Cleveland Clinic as well as the non- smoking policy.