Message from Department Chair

Message from Department Chair

Dear Friends,

Teamwork is central to creating a safe, healthy, and productive environment in the VCU Department of Radiology, and our leaders set the tone. Depending on the situation, however, we are all leaders inspiring others to put our core principles into action - RESPECT, ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENGAGEMENT.

We are at our best when we are working together. The Department's natural synergy has created opportunities for collaborations and new systems to promote teaching excellence and patient support. With our teamwork mindset, we will continue to make considerable contributions to the VCU Health System and the field of radiology.

Recently, Nelson Center Breast Imaging relocated to the 6th floor of the new VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion (AOP) located in downtown Richmond. Also on the 6th floor, we provide CT, diagnostic imaging, fluoroscopy, MRI, and ultrasound services. Immediately following the opening of the AOP and months of training, we successfully launched Epic, a modern electronic health record. By the end of March 2022, all VCU Health System hospitals and clinics will be transitioned to Epic. These complex, integrated implementations are proof we work among health care champions who are dedicated and flexible.

It is with great honor that I announce Dr. Mark Parker is this year’s recipient of the American Roentgen Ray Society Distinguished Educator Award. The annual award honors educators in the field of radiology with a track record of improving the society’s educational program. Lastly, I am also excited to introduce two new faculty members, Drs. Eman Mahdi and Chakradhar Mishra, to the Pediatric Imaging section.

Be well,

~ Ann S. Fulcher, M.D., FACR, FSAR

Breast Imaging at the Adult Outpatient Pavilion In Photos

Main Entrance

Main entry of VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion

Sixth Floor Elevators

6th Floor Elevators of the VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion

Sixth Floor Breast Imaging Lobby

6th floor Breast Imaging lobby of VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion

Mammography Suite

Mammography Suite in the VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion

Parking Deck

Parking Deck Entrance for the VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion

VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion Aerial Montage

Video featuring aerial montage of the VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion located in downtown Richmond.

Watch the Aerial Montage

VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion Aerial Montage

Radiology Learners Give High Scores to Teachers

The VCU Department of Radiology faculty ended 2021 on a high note, earning an annual mean teaching score of 3.82 out of 4.0. This month, they achieved an updated 12-month mean teaching score of 3.80. Our faculty members are continually achieving high teaching scores, which are based on resident evaluations.

"These scores reflect the time and passion our faculty invests in educating the next generation of radiologists. I cannot fully convey how much I appreciate their teaching efforts especially during this challenging time," remarked Ann S. Fulcher, M.D.

Cardiothoracic Imaging Faculty News

Dr. Mark S. Parker Receives Distinguished Educator Award
Dr. Mark S. Parker is this year’s recipient of the Distinguished Educator Award from the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS). The award is designed to celebrate and honor inspirational educators in the field of radiology with a track record of improving the society's educational program through innovative educational activities that result in improved participant competence and performance which ultimately leads to improved patient outcomes, the award goes to a single physician each year.

Ann S. Fulcher, M.D. expressed excitement that, "Dr. Parker's talents and contributions have been recognized on the national level by one of Radiology’s premier societies."

Dr. Parker is well-known throughout VCU as a dedicated educator of medical students, residents, fellows, and colleagues. As a Cardiothoracic Radiologist, Parker established the VCU Lung Cancer Screening Program. He also contributes to the evolving information related to COVID-19 by serving as the ARRS Course Director for the Virtual COVID-19 Symposium, which is attended by radiologists worldwide.

Dr. Mark S. Parker Course Director of ARRS COVID-19 Symposium

Dr. Mark Parker was course director and presented at last month's ARRS COVID-19: Prevailing Clinical, Imaging, Healthcare, and Economic Issues of 2022 Virtual Symposium. Radiologists across multiple subspecialties, alongside experts in epidemiology, public health, and oncology delivered frontline-focused updates on the principal problems still plaguing physicians around the world. They also addressed vaccine hesitancy, post-vaccination complications, boosters for the immunosuppressed, and associated therapeutics. Dr. Parker's session topic was, "Current State of COVID Mutations and Variants." Michael P. Stevens M.D., VCU Division of Infectious Diseases, also presented a session focused on, "Status of Vaccines and Therapies for COVID."

Dr. Mark S. Parker Publish in Annals of Medicine and Surgery

Dr. Mark Parker, in collaboration with colleagues from other institutions, recently published, "Pulmonary Barotrauma in COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis" in the Annals of Medicine and Surgery. Dr. Parker notes, "we have seen a significant increase in barotrauma in COVID patients, on the order of 11-20% pre-delta variant during which time this article was written, and as high as 40% with the delta variant. It comes in various forms such as spontaneous pneumothorax, spontaneous tension pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, pneumoperitoneum, pulmonary interstitial emphysema, pneumatocele-air cyst formation and subcutaneous air and may occur with both high-flow nasal cannula and mechanical ventilation."

Dr. Shaimaa Fadl to Present Research at the ARRS Annual Meeting

Dr. Shaimaa Fadl will present recently published research at the 2022 American Roentgen Ray Society Annual Meeting held May 1 - 5 virtually and in New Orleans. Dr. Fadl was first author of "Minute Pulmonary Meningothelial-like Nodules," which was published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging. She will present findings from the research as well as describe additional manifestations of barotrauma than noted in the meta-analysis.

Diagnostic Medical Physics Faculty News

Pei-Jan Paul Lin, PhD and Frank D. Corwin, PhD Publish AAPM Report

Portrait of medical physicist Frank Corwin

Drs. Pei-Jan Paul Lin (first author) and Frank D. Corwin, along with many other American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) physicists recently published, "Report of the AAPM Task Group 272: Comprehensive acceptance testing and evaluation of fluoroscopy imaging systems."

The abstract states, "Modern fluoroscopes used for image guidance have become quite complex. Adding to this complexity are the many regulatory and accreditation requirements that must be fulfilled during acceptance testing of a new unit. Further, some of these acceptance tests have pass/fail criteria, while others do not, making acceptance testing a subjective and time consuming task. The AAPM Task Group 272 Report spells out the details of tests that are required and gives visibility to some of the tests that while not yet required, are recommended as good practice. The organization of the report begins with the most complicated fluoroscopes used in interventional radiology or cardiology, continues with general fluoroscopy and mobile C-arms. Finally, the Appendices of the report provide useful information, an example report form and topics that needed their own section due to the level of detail."

Ann S. Fulcher, M.D. commented, "I am certain that this will make a positive impact on patient and user safety!"

The AAPM Task Group 272 was established in November 2015 with the goal of defining testing procedures for fluoroscopic imaging systems, including conventional, mobile C-arm, and interventional/angiography systems, thereby establishing a comprehensive acceptance test procedure for practicing medical physicists.

Pei-Jan Paul Lin, PhD Speaking at Seventh International Conference on Radiation Medicine
Dr. Pei-Jan Paul Lin received an invitation to speak at the 7th International Conference on Radiation Medicine: Clinical Applications and Innovative Approaches held virtually February 13 - 17 from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Dr. Lin will speak about diagnostic radiological physics in the domain of cardiovascular interventional angiography.

The International Conference on Radiation Medicine (ICRM) is organized by the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Al-Faisal University and leading national and international organizations and professional societies. Each year, ICRM aims to bring together renowned clinicians, scientists and health professionals to share the latest advances and innovative approaches of radiation applications in medicine.

Musculoskeletal Imaging and Intervention Faculty News

Dr. Taryar Zaw Study Collaboration Published in Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography.

Taryar Zaw M.D. white coat portrait Dr. Taryar Zaw publishes a collaborative study, "Calcific Tendinosis Reduces Diagnostic Performance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Detection of Rotator Cuff Tears" in the Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography. The study aimed to investigate the effect of calcific tendinosis on the diagnosis of rotator cuff tears (RCTs) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA). The list of authors include: Sill, Andrew P. MD; Zaw, Taryar MD; Flug, Jonathan A. MD, MBA; Hartigan, David E. MD; Kransdorf, Mark J. MD; Brinkman, Joseph MD; Fox, Michael G. MD, MBA.

Neuroradiology Faculty News

Drs. Seyed Mohammad H. Gharavi and Armaghan Faghihimehr Publish in PET Clinics

Portrait of S. Mohammad H. Gharavi, M.D. White coat portrait of Armaghan Faghihimehr, M.D.

Drs. Seyed Mohammad H. Gharavi and 2nd-year resident Armaghan Faghihimehr recently published a review article, "Clinical Application of Artificial Intelligence in PET Imaging of Head and Neck Cancer" in PET Clinics.

In this article, the authors aim to review current "artificial intelligence" (AI) applications in PET imaging of head and neck cancers. Applications of AI have been exponentially expanding in health care. Readily accessible archives of enormous digital data in medical imaging have made radiology a leader in exploring and taking advantage of this technology. AI-assisted radiology has paved the way toward another level of precision in medicine. In this article, the authors aim to review current AI applications in PET imaging of head and neck cancers, beginning with radiomics and followed by deep learning in each section.

Pediatric Imaging Faculty News

Dr. Gregory Vorona Presents at the American Society of Pediatric Neuroradiology Annual Meeting

Portrait of Gregory Vorona M D in a white lab coat Dr. Gregory Vorona, M.D., Assistant Professor and Pediatric Radiologist at the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, presented four cases at the American Society of Pediatric Neuroradiology (ASPNR) 4th Annual Meeting held in-person January 7-9, 2022 in Miami, FL.

As an invited faculty member, Dr. Vorona demonstrated his expertise covering challenging topics in pediatric neuroradiology and advanced imaging techniques to colleagues from across the country. He also participated in the "Pediatric Emergency Imaging: Rapid Fire Carousel" and an evening pediatric neuroradiology "Game Show."

Introducing Our New Pediatric Imaging Faculty

Eman Sabah Mahdi, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Dr. Mahdi joined the Children Hospital of Richmond at VCU as a clinical assistant professor of pediatric radiology and pediatric neuroradiology in Jan 2022 after working as a pediatric and neuroradiologist at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She Completed her pediatric and pediatric neuroradiology fellowships from the Children’s National Health System in Washington, DC. She is board certified by the American Board of Radiology with subspecialty board certification in neuroradiology and board eligibility in pediatric radiology. Her areas of interest include neuroradiology of the developing brain, arterial spin labeling of pediatric cerebral perfusion, and fetal and pediatric body MRI.

Chakradhar Mishra, MBBS, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Dr. Chakradhar Mishra earned a MBBS degree from the Manipal College of Medical Sciences (MCOMS) and a MD Radiology degree from the National Academy of Medical Science (NAMS) in Nepal. He practiced Radiology for several years in Nepal and served as “Secretary General” of the Radiological Society of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) nations. He then completed clinical research fellowships in Brain PET Imaging at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD and four fellowships including advanced pediatric radiology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN.

Residency Program News

VCU Radiology Residents Raise Funds for Child Life

Group photo of radiology residents in front of school of medicine building with V C U logo

Radiology Residents Raise Funds for Child Life
During the coronavirus pandemic, the VCU radiology residents joined the heroic fight against COVID-19 but they also came together to raise money for our most vulnerable patients - children.

At the end of 2021 and for the first time in the history of the department, the four classes of radiology residents unified to raise more than $1,160 for the Child Life Department at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) for its work to alleviate health disparities and reduce medical traumatic stress. Child Life uses donated funds to purchase age-appropriate items needed to support and educate children and their families during hospital stays and clinic visits, and to help children cope with their pain.

The idea of a fundraiser came from Kim Christman, the radiology residency program coordinator, who received approval from Dr. Josephina A. Vossen, residency education program director. Ms. Christman then approached the radiology residents who jumped at the philanthropic opportunity while concurrently selecting the Child Life Department at CHoR. The radiology residents are grateful for the opportunity to raise awareness for the Child Life Department at CHoR and support our pediatric patients and their families. Learn more about Child Life at CHoR.

Image of Excellence Newsletter - Winter 2022

Message from Department Chair