Overview
Members of this section work closely with specialists in gastroenterology, colorectal surgery, transplant and general surgery, urology and hematology/oncology to accurately diagnose diseases involving the liver, pancreas, kidneys, gallbladder, colon and adrenal glands, and to plan treatments tailored to patients’ needs.
Abdominal Imaging has doubled the size of its staff within the past decade. Today, the section comprises a dozen radiologists who acquired their training at some of the nation’s most prestigious medical institutions, including Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Duke University, New York University and the University of Michigan medical centers.
The staff’s expertise is enhanced by Cleveland Clinic’s state-of-the-art technology in CT, MR and ultrasound. Abdominal Imaging is a leader in Northeast Ohio in offering CT colonography (more commonly known as virtual colonoscopy). Additional special examinations include MR enterography, 3-D CT renal scanning and CT urography.
Procedures
Abdominal Imaging performs the most common and many complex abdominal interventions, among them ultrasound- and CT-guided biopsies, abscess drainages and radiofrequency ablations of renal tumors. Staff members are expert in CT enterography, a method of utilizing CT to view the small bowel. This technique is useful in assessing patients with Crohn’s disease and determining the cause of gastrointestinal tract bleeding.
Research
Abdominal Imaging pursues a diverse range of research interests. The section has pioneered 3-D imaging for kidney cancer surgery and transplantation. Currently, members are investigating techniques for reducing CT radiation levels without compromising the quality of the imaging and applying MR to image the prostate, a service not routinely offered at other centers.
Education
Committed to education, Abdominal Imaging offers advanced training (fellowship programs) in cross-sectional imaging and abdominal MRI. Members participate in the education of radiologists and non-radiologists at national meetings throughout the year, and are active in many national organizations, including the Radiological Society of North America, the American Roentgen Ray Society, the Society of Uroradiology, the Society of Gastrointestinal Radiology, the Society of Computed Body Tomography and Magnetic Resonance, and the American Board of Radiology.
