Fellowship > Program Overview > Abdominal Imaging (formerly Ultrasound/CT/MRI)

Abdominal Imaging (formerly Ultrasound/CT/MRI)

The Thomas Jefferson Abdominal Imaging Fellowship offers a clinically comprehensive experience in an academically intense environment.  Fellows are responsible for covering over 900 beds in Center City Philadelphia, including Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and the Jefferson Hospital for the Neurosciences.  Our two urban outpatient centers provide unparalleled educational opportunities which are further expanded by additional coverage of studies from teleradiology sites.  The case mix includes, but is not limited to emergency CT, oncologic imaging, pre- and post-operative evaluations, and imaging of gastrointestinal and genitourinary disorders.

Abdominal imaging fellows will be trained in the comprehensive use and interpretation of imaging modalities and interventional techniques as applied to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the genitourinary system and the intra- and extra-peritoneal organs of the abdomen and pelvis. Fellows participate in state of the art body imaging with Ultrasound, CT, and MRI of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis, with additional focused training in gastrointestinal, genitourinary and cardio-thoracic imaging. Every year, six fellows participate in a twelve-month program. The program is divided into 13 four week blocks comprised of the following components:

Body MRI (3 blocks)
Body CT (3 blocks)
Ultrasound (3 blocks)
PET/CT (0.5 blocks)
Electives (1.5 blocks)
Advanced Imaging Applications (2 blocks)

The educational component of the department’s mission is taken very seriously by the faculty of the abdominal imaging section.  Fellows have the opportunity to work alongside highly esteemed, world renowned academic radiologists on clinical rotations.  Faculty members also serve as research mentors for the fellows who are encouraged to engage in cutting edge research during the fellowship year.

CURRICULUM

BODY MRI

While rotating on the body MR service, fellows will participate in the protocol development and image interpretation of all studies (~10000 exams/year), performed on five 1.5 Tesla units and two 3 Tesla units on the Jefferson campus, as well as scans from additional teleradiology sites.

Upon completion of training, fellows will:

• Integrate CT, MR and ultrasound effectively in patient management decisions:
• Understand when to recommend a particular diagnostic imaging modality.
• Understand how to choose a particular modality for an invasive procedure.
• Learn the basic principles of MR physics, and apply these principles toward constructing examination protocols.
• Incorporate advanced MR techniques to optimize imaging protocols.
• Interpret advanced MR applications including MRCP, MR colonography, dynamic MR sequences for vascular enhancement and opposed phase MR sequences for fat suppression sequences.
• Effectively prioritize and triage patients requiring imaging studies according to clinical urgency.

BODY CT

While rotating on the CT service fellows will participate in the protocol development and image interpretation of all studies (~30,000 exams/year) performed on four 16 slice CT scanners and two 64 slice scanners on the Jefferson campus, as well as scans from additional teleradiology sites.

Upon completion of training, fellows will:

Interpret advanced CT applications including:

• CT angiography
• CT urography
• CT colonography
• multiphase imaging of the liver, pancreas, and kidneys

Integrate CT, MR and ultrasound effectively in patient management decisions:

• Understand when to recommend a particular diagnostic imaging modality
• Understand how to choose a particular modality for an invasive procedure.

ULTRASOUND

While rotating on the Ultrasound service fellows will participate in scanning and image interpretation of all studies (~60000 exams/year) performed on 30 ultrasound machines on the Jefferson campus, in additional to numerous teleradiology studies.

Upon completion of training, fellows will:

• Interpret advanced ultrasound applications including
• Gray scale and Doppler ultrasound examination of abdomen/pelvis
• Doppler examination of vascular structures and transplant organs
• Sonohysterography
• Prostate imaging and biopsy
• Learn hands-on advanced scanning techniques for obtaining high quality ultrasound images (transabdominal, transvaginal, and transrectal) by scanning patients together with more senior physicians and technologists, and getting feedback form the attending staff.
• Interface with referring physicians to obtain clinical information and tailor studies.

ADVANCED IMAGING APPLICATIONS

All PACS stations in the department are equipped with the built in TeraRecon thin client.  Additionally, there are 5 Phillips Brillance and 1 Vital Images Vitrea workstations within the abdominal imaging section for advanced post-processing.

Fellows will participate in protocol development and imaging of CT, MRI, and Ultrasound advanced applications including:

• CT Angiography (including cardiac CTA)
• CT Colography
• CT Enterography
• CT Urography
• MR Angiography
• MR Enterography
• MR Urography
• CT and Ultrasound guided interventions
• Sonohysterography
• Advanced Musculoskeletal Ultrasound

LECTURES AND CONFERENCES

In addition to a core series of daily lectures given during the first two months of fellowship, fellows participate in the following conferences throughout the year:

• Metastatic Uveal Melanoma Conference
• Hepatocellular Oncology Conference
• Hepatocellular Hepatology Conference
• Gastrointestinal Multidisciplinary Conference
• Pacreaticobiliary Conference
• CVIR-MR Correlation Conference
• CT-MR Interesting Case Conference
• Ultrasound Case Conference
• Missed Case Conference

CALL

Fellows will be responsible for call coverage between 5 and 9:30 PM during the week days and 8 AM to 8 PM on weekends.

We begin to accept applications eighteen months prior to the begining of the fellowship which begins July 1. Interviews are scheduled as soon as the application is complete. You can download the standard Jefferson housestaff application or a modified universal fellowship application here. (This is a PDF file. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer, you can download the program.) Either application form may be used. The application should be sent along with a copy of your CV and a personal statement.

The following additional items are required to evaluate each applicant: three letters of recommendation (one from your Program Director), a medical school Dean's letter, a medical school transcript, a copy of your USMLE scores, along with the results of your physics board exams.

Completed applications (paper copy) and the required additional items should be directed to the director of fellowship admissions listed below:

Abdominal Imaging - Alfred Kurtz, MD (215-955-8534)
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Div. Ultrasound, 763 Main Bldg.
132 South 10th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107 Fax: 215-955-8549

Questions regarding the application process may be expedited via email at the following address:   Alfred.Kurtz@jefferson.edu

Abdominal Imaging Faculty

Fellowship Program Directors

• Ethan Halpern, M.D.
• Alfred Kurtz, M.D.

Abdominal Imaging Clinical Faculty

• Oksana Baltarovich, M.D.
• Sandeep Deshmukh, M.D.
• Ethan Halpern, M.D.
• Barry Goldberg, M.D.
• Alfred Kurtz, M.D.
• Sorcha McNally, M.D.
• Don Mitchell, M.D.
• Manorahan Muthuvelu, M.D.
• Levon Nazarian, M.D.
• Laurence Needleman, M.D.
• Patrick O’Kane, M.D.
• Chris Roth, M.D.
• Sharon Segal, M.D.
• Terri Tuckman, M.D.
• Annina Wilkes, M.D.