Trainee and Student Research Celebrated at Annual Symposium p. 10
Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub Receives $49M Federal Grant p. 18
First Histotripsy-Based Ablation by a Radiology Department p. 21
Since its inception in 1927, the Department of Radiology has built a distinguished reputation as an international leader in defining the field of diagnostic imaging and image-guided interventions.
Our department has a long legacy of innovation, with an impressive list of seminal contributions in education, research and cutting-edge clinical care. We also have had the privilege of caring for generations of patients from Wisconsin and around the globe.
Since I stepped into the role of department chair in January 2024, I have felt both the gravity and pride that comes with leading such a celebrated department.
This newsletter is filled with a long list of such accomplishments including how our department helped Wisconsin earn the Tech Hub federal designation with over $80 million in funding, the first histotripsy-based ablation in the United States, outreach to historically underrepresented groups, and a new elective in which residents can read imaging exams from patients in Africa.
But we are more than our deeds. We are dedicated, passionate professionals who work together as a remarkable supportive and collaborative team that is so essential to achieving excellence.
As we move into our second century of history, I am extraordinarily optimistic about our collective future. What we all do is important and impactful to the patients we serve, the learners we educate, and the research we foster. I hope that you share in my deep sense of pride for all that we do to improve human health through imaging.
On, Wisconsin!
Scott Reeder, MD, PhD
Our fellows are off to practice across the country - including right here in our department! We wish all of them well!
Abdominal Imaging and Intervention
Jacob Fleecs, MD: Private Practice, Heartland Radiology in Kearney, NE and Grand Island Imaging in Grand Island, NE
Katharine Molinarolo, MD: Private Practice, Radiology Associates in Appleton, WI
Leslie Nelson, MD: Academic Practice, UW Hospital & Clinics (Abd) Stephen Polanski, MD: Academic Practice, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI
Breast Imaging and Intervention
Evan Benner, DO: Private Practice, Aurora in Milwaukee, WI
Thomas LoDuca, MD: Academic Practice, UW Hospital & Clinics (Breast)
MRI
Robert Brenteson, MD: Private Practice, Alaska Imaging Associates in Anchorage, AK
Musculoskeletal Imaging and Intervention
Monica Cooley, MD: Academic Practice, UW Hospital & Clinics (MSK)
Peter Cormier, MD: Private Practice, Rockford Radiology Associates in Rockford, IL
Kyle Lacy, MD: Private Practice, Summit Physician Specialists in Salt Lake City, UT
Jacob McCallum, DO: Private Practice, Madison Radiologists in Madison, WI
Karla Wetley, MD: Private Practice, Madison Radiologists in Madison, WI
Neuroradiology
Matthew Larson, MD, PhD: Academic Practice, UW Hospital & Clinics (Nuclear/Neuro)
Andrew Scrima, MD: Private Practice, Carolina Radiology in Myrtle Beach, NC
Jacob Lescher, Jacob Anderson, Brody Brisk, Ece Meram, Alexander McDonald, Nancy Ann Little, Troy Tenbrunsel, Isaiah Tan, and Changhee Lee at the resident graduation ceremony.
Residents from each of our three residency programs came together to celebrate by Lake Mendota. Then they were off to continue their training or start practicing.
Diagnostic Radiology
Jacob Anderson, MD: Abdominal Fellowship, UW Hospital & Clinics
Brody Brisk, MD: Musculoskeletal Imaging Fellowship, UW Hospital & Clinics
Nancy Ann Little, MD: Interventional Radiology Independent Residency, University of Alabama Birmingham
Alexander McDonald, MD: Abdominal Fellowship, UW Hospital & Clinics
Isaiah Tan, MD: Neuroradiology Fellowship, UW Hospital & Clinics
Troy Tenbrunsel, MD: Abdominal Imaging Fellowship, UW–Madison
Interventional Radiology
Jacob Lescher, MD: Private Practice, Essentia Health in Duluth, MN
Ece Meram, MD: Academic Practice, University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN
Nuclear Medicine
Changhee Lee, MD: Academic Practice, UW Hospital & Clinics (Nuclear)
Residents’ Families Join the Celebration
Jacob Anderson, MD
Residency: UW Hospital & Clinics
Internship: Ohio Health Riverside
Methodist
Kayla Berigan, MD
DR Residency: University of Vermont
Informatics Fellowship: Penn Medicine
Family Medicine Residency: University of Rochester
Saralyn Beckius, MD
Residency: Providence Sacred Heart
Internship: Spokane Teaching Health Center
Alexander McDonald, MD
Residency: UW Hospital & Clinics
Internship: UW–Madison
Lewis Jordan, MD
Residency: Rush University
Internship: Louis A Weiss Memorial Hospital
Taylor Sellers, MD
Residency: University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
Internship: University of Iowa
Troy Tenbrunsel, MD
Residency: UW Hospital & Clinics
Internship: St. Mary Mercy Hospital
Carrie Anne Orlikowski, MD, JD
Residency: Maine Medical Center
Internship: Maine Medical Center
Tomas Romero GarcÍa, MD
Nuclear Medicine Residency: University of Puerto Rico
Internship: Bella Vista Hospital
Afshin Ameri, MD
Residency: Tufts Medical Center
Internship: GBMC HealthCare
Adam Miller, MD
Residency: University of Southern California
Internship: Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation
Isaiah Tan, MD
Residency: UW Hospital & Clinics
Internship: UW Hospital & Clinics
Mohamed Shaif Yusufishaq, MD
Residency: University of Chicago
Medical Center
Internship: UCLA School of Medicine
Brody Brisk, MD
Residency: UW Hospital & Clinics
Internship: University of South Dakota
Garrick Biddle, MD
Residency: University of California, Davis
Internship: Kaweah Delta Health Care
Alex Cook, DO
Residency: University of MissouriKansas City
Internship: University of MissouriKansas City
Turner Daines, DO
Residency: University of Oklahoma
Internship: Providence Sacred Heart
Aishwariya Vegunta, MBBS
Residency: Yale New Haven HealthBridgeport Hospital
Internship: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Andrew Liu, MD
Residency: University of Rochester
Medical Center
Internship: University of Rochester Medical Center
James Newton, MD
Residency: Corewell Health / Michigan State University
Internship: Spectrum Health / Michigan State University
German Banez Rueda, MD
Internship: Ascension St Agnes Hospital
Med School: University of Carabobo
Sarah Daggett, MD
Internship: UW Hospital & Clinics (Internal Medicine)
Med School: UW School of Medicine and Public Health
Sean Duminie, MD
Internship: UW Hospital & Clinics (Surgery)
Med School: UW School of Medicine and Public Health
Zachary Hansen-Cole, MD
Internship:Altoona Family Physicians (Transitional)
Med School: Medical College of Wisconsin
Farhan Salman, MD
Internship: Advocate Health Care (Internal Medicine)
Med School: University of Illinois College of Medicine
Ishan Satwah, MD
Internship: UW Hospital & Clinics (Internal Medicine)
Med School: Drexel University College of Medicine
Amy Song, MD
Internship: Gundersen Health System (Transitional)
Med School: University of Minnesota Medical School
Anna Giarratana, MD, PhD
Internship: Northwell Health - Peconic
Bay Medical Center (Transitional)
Med School: Rutgers R.W. Johnson
Medical School
Abhinav Patel, MBBS
Internship: Weiss Memorial Hospital (Transitional)
Med School: : Terna Medical College & Hospital
Lilian Gibson, MD
Internship: MacNeal Hospital (Transitional)
Med School: University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine
Erin Sullivan, MD
Internship:
Med School: University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
John Caniglia, MD
Internship: Ascension St. Joseph (Internal Medicine)
Med School: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria
Michael Hartung, MD established a remote Global Health Elective program in which radiology residents can have an international impact from the comfort of their home or hospital workstation.
Through his global health volunteer work, Dr. Hartung developed partnerships with the program’s two participating hospitals. Both the Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya and the Diospi-Suyana Hospital in Curahausi, Peru rely on US volunteers to read CT scans. With this program, the department’s residents can help with the workload while gaining invaluable global health experience.
Participating residents spend one to two weeks reading CT scans remotely from the hospitals. The CT scanners are a cornerstone of diagnosis and management for both centers. There are also opportunities for quality improvement projects, education, research, and supporting local tumor boards.
In addition to providing support to the hospitals, the program is a fantastic learning opportunity for residents. Both hospitals provide treatment to underserved populations, and patients often have uncommon or advanced-stage diseases that residents may not have previously encountered. This requires residents to consider the cases in a different light and evaluate management and treatment options that are often different than at UW.
Residents may also need to conduct research to familiarize themselves with diseases that are uncommon in the U.S. and seek
second opinions for cases, pooling the subspeciality expertise that is offered throughout our department.
Brody Brisk, MD completed the remote Global Health Elective during his residency and shared his experience.
“The Global Health Remote Radiology elective is an incredible opportunity for residents and is truly an outstanding experience. The variety and amount of pathology I saw during the one week was hard to fathom. It was a great chance for me to work on my diagnostic skills, refine differentials, and provide excellent, meaningful care to an underserved population. I wouldn’t be surprised if I saw pathology during that week that I will never see again during my career. I would recommend this rotation to all residents.”
Members from all levels of the UW Department of Radiology celebrated exceptional research conducted by trainees and medical students at the annual Zachary Clark Radiology Research Symposium on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
The morning kicked off with the opportunity for colleagues to connect over a light breakfast. Department Chair Scott Reeder, MD, PhD welcomed attendees and spoke of the high importance the department places on research, especially in the early stages of one’s career.
Following the opening remarks by Dr. Reeder, fellows; residents; and medical students alike delivered nine oral presentations on topics ranging from the utilization of PET/MRI to pinpoint pain generators to changes in patients’ body composition as a result of Semaglutide use. Allison Grayev, MD and Giuseppe Toia, MD moderated the presentations. Attendees were actively engaged with the presenters; inquiring about the results of the studies conducted and possible next steps for the research projects.
After a break for viewing electronic exhibits, Tessa Cook, MD, PhD delivered the keynote address “Mentorship, Sponsorship, and Coaching: My Secrets to Success in Imaging Informatics.” Dr. Cook’s address included an inspiring tale of how her mentors helped shape her career, insight into her approach to mentorship, and a captivating look into the field of imaging informatics.
The symposium came to a close with the presentation for best oral presentations and electronic exhibits. Oral presentations were judged by Edward Lawrence, MD, PhD; Prashant Nagpal, MD; and Timothy Ziemlewicz, MD Teresa Chapman, MD; Andrew Ross, MD; and Michael Veronesi, MD, PhD judged the electronic exhibits.
Best Oral Presentation by a Fellow: Leslie Nelson, DO
Best Oral Presentation by a Resident: Vyshnavi Reddy, MD
Best Oral Presentation by a Medical Student: Vansh Jain
Best Electronic Presentation by a Fellow: Peter Cormier, MD
Best Electronic Presentation by a Resident: Alexander Moeller, MD
Best Electronic Presentation by a Medical Student: Annie Zlevor
Over the past year, Meghan Lubner, MD received local and national awards in recognition of her exceptional commitment to education and mentorship. The UW School of Medicine and Public Health honored Dr. Lubner with the prestigious Dean’s Award for Excellence in Medical Student Research Mentorship Award, which was presented at this year’s Medical Education Day. On the national scale, she was awarded the Lifetime Honored Educator award from the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in 2023 and the Igor Laufer Professorship from the Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) for 2023-2024.
An enthusiastic mentor for medical students, Dr. Lubner has partnered with Perry Pickhardt, MD and Jason Abel, MD for over a decade to guide scholars in the Shapiro Summer Research Program as they conduct their projects. Through this program, Dr. Lubner engages and connects with medical students on a deeper level.
“You get to really know one or two students over the summer, and you can often work with them longitudinally once the project has concluded. It’s also an opportunity to expose them to radiology as an exciting career path early on in their education and showcase the discipline in all its glory.”
Serving as a Shapiro mentor, Dr. Lubner is also able to provide insight into career pathways the students can pursue. She enjoys discussing how they might fit into the academic framework and
become a physician scientist, something she did not explore in the early stages of medical training.
Dr. Lubner wholeheartedly embraces the philosophy of lifelong learning, seeking out opportunities to enhance her skills as an educator. One such way she has done this is through participation on educational committees and review committees for RSNA and attending presentations at their annual conference to learn from peers.
As the SAR Igor Laufer Visiting Professor this past year, Dr. Lubner completed an international tour, traveling nearly 70,000 miles across 20 states and four countries. During the tour she made over 40 stops to visit radiology programs or attend conferences. While visiting so many different cities and institutions across the globe was an amazing experience, the personal connections that Dr. Lubner made were the highlight of her travels.
“It was so nice to interact with everyone in person. I had forgotten how special that can be as we have come back from the pandemic. There were a lot of our past trainees at these visits, and it was great to see them again! Whether I encountered them at a conference of their institutions it was so special to see them be successful in their careers.”
Dr. Lubner with colleagues at the RSNA conference, where she accepted the Lifetime Honored Educator Award.
Erica Knavel Koepsel, MD has been appointed section chief of the Interventional Radiology section. The role was previously held for 15 years by Orhan Ozkan, MD.
Frank Korosec, PhD has been appointed interim vice chair of research. The role was previously held by Scott Reeder, MD, PhD.
Ali Pirasteh, MD has been appointed modality chief of MRI after serving as associate chief. The role was previously held by Scott Reeder, MD, PhD.
Newrhee Kim, MD has been appointed the new Chair of the Board of Directors of Meriter Hospital.
Allison Grayev, MD has been appointed Diagnostic Radiology Residency program director after serving as an associate program director since 2011. The role was previously held for 19 years by David Kim, MD.
Jade Anderson, MD has been appointed assistant block leader for Phase 1 Anatomy, part of the medical school curriculum. The role was previously held by Allison Grayev, MD.
Robert Bour, MD has been elected to continue serving as a member of the Department of Radiology’s Finance Committee. Kathleen Fink, MD and Michael Hartung, MD were elected to serve their first term on the committee.
Laura Eisenmenger, MD has been appointed to the UW Faculty Senate as our additional representative. Dr. Eisenmenger joins Faculty Senator Diego Hernando, PhD and Alternate Pallavi Tiwari, PhD in representing our department.
Lori Chamberlain has been hired for the new leadership role of Clinical Sciences Associate Department Administrator.
A leadership transition marks a new chapter in the UW/GE HealthCare CT Protocol Collaboration that has spanned over a decade and been a cornerstone to highquality, value-based CT imaging across the globe. In January 2024, Myron Pozniak, MD stepped down from his role as the team lead and passed the mantle on to Giuseppe Toia, MD
With the goal of creating CT protocols to ensure that clinicians not only image gently but also image well, the effort combines the expertise of UW radiologists, physicists, and CT technologists with ISO quality consultants, GE HealthCare CT engineers and their application specialists. In his first six months, Dr. Toia has been continually impressed by the amazing collaboration of the protocol team and is grateful to lead it. He finds a sense of pride in working on the team and contributing to the positive impact that it has worldwide.
“When I began my career as a resident, I did not have a clear vision of how my career could make a long-lasting impact, particularly outside the reading room. As I progressed, I realized that an academic career provided an avenue for lifelong learning and discovery but also catalyzed potentially lasting clinical impacts beyond the walls of a hospital. It’s truly a humbling and satisfying feeling to know our program aligns with these goals.”
Bridging the gap between radiology and medical physics has been a longstanding academic interest for Dr. Toia, who eagerly joined the department’s protocol initiative as a physician-CT tech liaison when he was recruited in 2021. In his role as liaison, Dr. Toia ensured CT
technologists and radiologists were communicating effectively to adjust and improve protocols from the clinical operations side.
This cooperative spirit was the driving force behind the formation of the protocol team and collaboration with GE HealthCare.
In the early 2000s, Dr. Pozniak and medical physicist Frank Ranallo, PhD teamed up to establish universal CT protocols that would consistently produce clear results while using lower doses to avoid overexposing patients to radiation. Dr. Pozniak likens CT imaging process to shooting photos with a manual camera.
“You can expose the film a certain way and end up with a photo that’s under-exposed or over-exposed. You need to know the f-stop and aperture, and a dozen other things that can affect how the photo comes out. It’s the same thing with CT, but there are even more variables.”
Historically, radiology practices would develop protocols themselves or hire third-party physicists to do so. In some cases, protocols were developed on a patient-by-patient basis.
Dr. Pozniak and Dr. Ranallo recognized that experts at UW–Madison were in a unique position to develop protocols given their ability to bridge the gap between radiology and medical physics. The pair approached GE HealthCare as the company was, and still is, a valued collaborator of the university. They proposed that the UW CT protocols could be shipped with GE HealthCare CT scanners so other institutions could use them in their practices.
Over the course of several years and many discussions, the company and UW–Madison reached an agreement: GE HealthCare would ship the protocols with each new CT scanner, and UW would continue to update and develop clinically validated CT protocols as technology advanced and GE HeatlhCare released new scanners.
Today, the UW/GE HealthCare CT Protocol Collaboration is thriving with a robust team dedicated not only to updating the protocols but also providing support and guidance to smaller hospitals and institutions. The team includes three full-time technologists whose sole focus is on the CT protocol initiative. Tim Szczykutowicz, PhD leads efforts from the medical physics standpoint, and Dr. Pozniak and Dr. Ranallo continue to consult with the team.
Through the collaboration with GE HealthCare, UW–Madison has made a positive impact in patient care and imaging results worldwide. Dr. Toia emphasized the importance that we share these protocols widely, reinforcing The Wisconsin Idea that the UW Department of Radiology upholds.
“In their finest form, science and medicine are not for closed doors. We embrace data and idea sharing to advance our field. I recognize that not all radiology practices have the same resources and team structure as us. In effect, I see it as our duty to share our knowledge and experience.”
Laura Eisenmenger, MD received a 5-year, $3.7M grant for “NonInvasive MRI Markers to Elicit the Role of Vascular Disease in CADASIL Compared to Normal Aging” from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging.
Sandip Biswal, MD received a 3-year, $1.3M grant for “Mechanisms of Action of Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Neuropathic Pain” from the National Institutes of Health.
Jamey Weichert, PhD received a 1-year $317K grant for “Replacement for Workhorse In Vivo Optical Imaging System for the UWCCC Small Animal Imaging & Radiotherapy Facility” from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.
Pallavi Tiwari, PhD received a 5-year, $3M grant for “Radiomic spatial maps for identifying viable tumor extent on multi-parametric MRI for Glioblastoma” from the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute.
Anand Narayan, MD, PhD received a 3-year, $450K grant for “Closing the Gap: Mixed Methods Approaches to Reducing Breast Cancer Disparities” from The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Daiki Tamada, PhD received a 3-year $280K grant for “Investigation on the Correlation between MRI Biomarkers and Skin Aging” from Shiseido Company, Ltd.
Tyler Bradshaw, PhD received a 4-year, $1.6M grant for “Multimodal learning for contextually-aware longitudinal PET/CT image analysis” from the National Institutes of Health.
Paul Laeseke, MD, PhD and Michael Speidel, PhD from the Department of Medical Physics received a 2-year, $380K grant for “Clinical and Theoretical Evaluation of qDSA“ from Siemens Medical Solutions.
Elizabeth Burnside, MD received a 1-year $165K grant for “Accurate & Cost-Effective Sensitivity (ACES) Algorithm for Improved Breast Cancer Screening Metrics” from the American Cancer Society.
Jamey Weichert, PhD serves as codirector for the newly launched Initiative for Theranostics and Particle Therapy (ITPT) at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center. In addition to providing personalized treatment for patients with cancer, ITPT will establish world-class programs for theranostics and particle therapy research and education.
While ITPT is new, it builds upon well-established collaborations amongst UW researchers in such specialties as medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, nuclear medicine and medical physics.
“The initiative provides a central mechanism for those involved in these fields to engage with one another and put ideas together for collective advancement,” ITPT Co-Director Zachary Morris, MD, PhD from the Department of Human Oncology said. “This area is inherently multidisciplinary. If we stay in our silos, we only get so far, but when we work together, we can see the confluence of opportunities.”
Together, the investigators will assess:
• Use of article beam radiation for difficult-to-treat cancers.
• Combination of diagnostic and treatment activities to form a single step known as theranostics.
• Personalization of radiation treatment plans.
Dr. Weichert noted that the initiative will also establish premier graduate and fellowship training programs for researchers and practitioners in theranostics, particle therapy, dosimetry and nuclear and radiochemistry.
“We’re creating a destination theranostics and particle therapy clinical center at UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center with this work” Dr. Weichert states.
For researchers and clinicians at UW who work in these areas and wish to become involved, the initiative will establish membership criteria, and the unit will be governed by an executive board of six UW–Madison faculty members who engage in research, clinical care and education related to theranostics and particle therapy.
This work is possible thanks to major federal funding provided to UW–Madison, including the first National Institutes of Healthsupported program project grant for theranostics, according to Anjon Audhya, PhD, senior associate dean for basic research, biotechnology, and graduate studies at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.
“Over the last several years, our outstanding investigators have competed successfully for nationally recognized awards related to theranostics,” Dr. Audhya noted.
The funding includes a recent $8 million grant to construct a new national theranostic cyclotron resource center that will drive fundamental and translational medical science. It also includes $20 million in grants from the National Cancer Institute and a $1.5 million seed investment from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, according to Dr. Audhya.
“This support is critical because ultimately, our goal is to be the preeminent site for preclinical and clinical theranostics research globally,” he said.
The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) granted $49 million in Phase 2 funding to the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub, an initiative to position Wisconsin as a global leader in personalized medicine. The UW Department of Radiology played a pivotal role in earning the federal tech hub designation and is on the forefront of the transformative work the funding will drive.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is one of 18 members across industry, higher education and government who make up the Biohealth Tech Hub consortium.
Through this collaborative effort, the consortium demonstrated that Wisconsin’s strengths in such areas as innovation, manufacturing, healthcare and entrepreneurship primes it be the national leader of personalized medicine. This innovative approach to healthcare customizes treatment based on a patient’s unique genetic code, medical history, and environment.
With an additional $7.5 million in state funding and $24 million in industry commitments, the tech hub expects to receive over $80 million.
A core element that the Biohealth Tech Hub builds upon is the history of collaboration with industry. Our partnership with GE HealthCare exemplifies that tenet. Over the past 40 years, GE HealthCare and the department have built a vital, collaborative research and technology relationship, generating substantial health innovations including more than 100 patents. In November 2023,
our department hosted the celebration for the new 10-year strategic collaboration between UW-Madison and GE HealthCare. One of the key technology projects funded through the Biohealth Tech Lab initiative will be the GE HealthCare-led effort to streamline the integration of new technologies into health care systems. Our relationship with GE HealthCare will assist in this important endeavor.
Another technology project will be the Wisconsin Health Data Hub, for which the UW School of Medicine and Public Health will act as the lead institution with Jomol Mathew, PhD as the principal investigator (PI). Every day, technology offers new opportunities to
Colleagues from UW–Madison and GE HealthCare give the W sign in celebration of the next ten years of strategic collaboration.
collect data, which includes the images our faculty use in treating patients and conducting research. The comprehensive, secure, accessible and inclusive health data ecosystem will help ensure that data is available to scientists, entrepreneurs and biohealth companies developing the next breakthrough in medicine.
The CAREScan Mobile Cancer Screening, another Phase 2 project, will improve health equity by collecting community insights and increasing access to screening and care. Chair Scott Reeder, MD, PhD will serve as the local, UW principal investigator (PI) for the Medical College of Wisconsin-led project.
From contributing to the strategy development to literally opening our doors, the department has dedicated our expertise and passion to the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub initiative. To support her lobbying efforts to earn the federal Tech Hub designation for the state, Senator Tammy Baldwin visited the Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research (WIMR) with media in August 2023. In her tour of the facilities, she visited the UW–Madison Cyclotron lab, Radiopharmaceutical Production Facility, WIMR PET Imaging Center, and the Photon Counting CT Scanner.
“I am incredibly proud of our faculty, researchers and staff who have already done so much to support this visionary endeavor,” Dr. Reeder said. “With the funding and momentum from the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub initiative, the health care landscape in Wisconsin will be transformed and tomorrow’s patients will receive even better care because of it.”
Amy Fowler, MD, PhD harnesses the power of positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans in her new clinical study to improve the precision of early-stage breast cancer treatments prior to surgery.
By administering a targeted imaging agent and tracking it via simultaneous PET/MRI scans, Dr. Fowler can observe the effectiveness of hormone therapy given before surgery. When hormone therapy is given before surgery, it can potentially shrink tumors and reduce the amount of breast tissue removed during surgery. This makes pre-surgical hormone therapy a potentially effective treatment option for some patients.
However, there are types of breast cancer that are hormone resistant and are unaffected by this course of treatment. The challenge is identifying hormone-resistant cancer prior to treatment.
Through this trial, Dr. Fowler aims to better identify the cancers that are hormone sensitive versus those that are hormone resistant, which will help guide the treatment decision process for a patient. This imaging technique could provide a less-invasive alternative to needle biopsies in tracking treatment progress for patients.
“In my clinical work at the Breast Center as a radiologist, we do image-guided breast biopsies, and many patients say that it would be nice to get all the information about a tumor, or as much as you can about a tumor, without needing more biopsies.”
This clinical trial builds on years of lab research and pilot studies by Dr. Fowler and colleagues at UW to test the imaging agent. Dr. Fowler also collaborates with members of the Breast Cancer Research Advisory Network at UW, a group comprised of breast cancer survivors, caregivers and advocates who work with researchers to provide a patient perspective on research proposals, grant submission and designing clinical trials.
“It’s been very key for, especially for clinical trials, to understand what’s reasonable to ask of patients in terms of the study design,” she said of their perspectives.
This trial is currently open for patients who are interested in participating.
A UW Department of Radiology team of interventional radiologists, led by Erica Knavel Koepsel, MD, performed the first clinical histotripsy-based ablation in Wisconsin since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the procedure. Performed on January 11, 2024, it was also the first completed by a radiology department in the United States.
The procedure, approved by the FDA in October 2023, is a completely non-invasive, non-thermal approach to treating liver cancer and cancers that have metastasized to the liver. A specialized ultrasound treatment head delivers short, high amplitude pulses to targeted cancer cells, creating a bubble cloud that destroys the cells by expanding and contracting around them rapidly. Ultrasound imaging is used to monitor the formation and performance of the bubble cloud in real-time by the team.
The treatment zone and tissue treated by histotripsy is highly precise. Dr. Knavel Koepsel explained “Different tissues have different susceptibilities to histotripsy; bile ducts and blood vessels are less susceptible than the actual liver tissue, so this procedure avoids damaging other liver structures.”
Unlike other treatment methods, histotripsy-based ablation requires only a single session, and patients will hopefully be able to return home the same day. Another exciting and unexpected benefit for patients was observed during clinical trials; treating one mass via histotripsy can have abscopal effects on other masses, causing them to reduce in size without receiving direct treatment.
Although the FDA’s approval only covers the treatment of liver cancer, the procedure could potentially treat other cancers. The department aims to conduct clinical trials using histotripsy to treat renal tumors.
Prior to this landmark case, the department played key roles in research and clinical trials required to gain FDA approval for histotripsy-based ablation.
Fred Lee, MD; Paul Laeseke, MD, PhD; and Timothy Ziemlewicz, MD were at the forefront throughout the process, including the development of the new technology needed for the procedure. In addition, they along with John Swietlik, MD dedicated over five years to conducting pre-clinical research. In addition, Dr. Ziemlewicz served as a principal investigator of the THERESA national clinical trial. Meghan Lubner, MD, an expert in locoregional therapies of the liver, served as a principal investigator for the #HOPE4LIVER site trial at UW–Madison.
Dr. Knavel Koepsel anticipates the ablation team will incorporate histotripsy-based ablation as a mainstay option to treat liver cancer. “We’re really excited to bring this technology to UW and our patients to make a difference in cancer care by providing a non-invasive and highly precise treatment option, improving the tools we have available to treat liver cancer and hopefully, other cancers, in the future.”
UW Health featured Beverly Aagaard Kienitz, MD in two stories related to patients suffering from strokes.
In 2009, Dr. Aagaard Kienitz and Bermans Iskandar, MD developed the wide arterial sparing encephalo-duro-synangiosis (WASEDS) procedure, which has kept their very first patient, Danielle, stroke-free for 15 years.
Dr. Aagaard Kienitz and Dr. Iskander developed the procedure as a treatment for Moyamoya disease after existing treatment did not work to stop Danielle’s strokes. Moyamoya disease is characterized by a narrowing or blocking of arteries at the base of the brain, which prevents blood flow.
The WASEDS procedure began with a highly detailed map of the patient’s brain, created by Dr. Aagaard Kienitz’s angiographic images. Once the map was complete, Dr. Iskander performed the surgery, creating a series of incisions in Danielle’s brain to encourage blood vessel growth.
The results of the surgery were everything that Danielle and her family had hoped for – her strokes stopped. Since the first surgery, Dr. Aagaard Kienitz and Dr. Iskander have performed 14 WASEDS procedures, all with the same results.
Surgery Saves Patient from Deadly Type of Stroke
Andy Bock of Cross Plains, Wisconsin worked on his daily crossword puzzle when he experienced a life-threatening stroke caused by an artery clot in his brain stem.
As Andy and his wife, Kathy, rushed to University Hospital, Dr. Aagaard Kienitz assembled her team consisting of a neuroendovascular surgery fellow, an anesthesiologist, an anesthesiology assistant, an interventional technologist and a nurse.
Being on blood-thinning medication for atrial fibrillation meant Andy could not be treated with intravenous clot-busting drugs. Instead, the team would need to perform an advanced surgical procedure to “fish out” the clot through use of micro-thin catheters.
“Less than one of every 100 stroke patients we see comes to us with a basilar artery stroke like Andy’s,” she said. “The brain stem, where his clot was found, is the highest-priced real estate in the brain. It controls breathing, body movement and almost everything we associate with quality of life.”
Fortunately, the procedure was a success.
“It’s a miracle that I came through this with no residual effects,” Andy said. “It’s because of Kathy, the EMS team, the Emergency Department, Dr. Aagaard Kienitz and her team, and God’s guidance. There are no words to fully express my appreciation.”
The UW Department of Radiology opened the doors to a new abdominal reading room, and with it, new opportunities for colleagues to connect.
The steady increase in volume of clinical services required improved efficiency and collaboration for the Abdominal Imaging and Intervention section. In addition, the shift from physical to digital images meant the room no longer needed to be next to the associated clinical workspaces. The integrated, centrally located space for hospital-based team members facilitates seamless cross coverage based on availability and expertise not possible in the previous reading rooms. Faculty now consult each other on challenging cases, participate in conferences, and share interesting cases with ease.
Greater efficiency is not the only benefit that the new reading room brings. It has only been in use since December, but Section Chief J. Louis Hinshaw, MD, has already observed the benefits that being able to connect faceto-face with their colleagues offers. “It has increased our ability to work collaboratively with each other and improved the esprit de corps with the team.”
Jade Anderson, MD shared her journey of becoming a radiologist with medical students at a dinner hosted by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s Office of Multicultural Affairs.
As she is early-on in her career, Dr. Anderson was excited to speak to the medical students and inspire them to pursue their dreams.
During her talk, Dr. Anderson highlighted her decision to transfer from an orthopaedic surgery residency, sharing that while it was a difficult decision, she ultimately had to pursue what she was passionate about.
This moment resonated with Reagan Beyer, a medical student who attended the dinner. Knowing that Dr. Anderson was able to change specialties in her residency and become a successful radiologist settled some of Reagan’s nerves about the future. “Seeing that it all works out, it makes these big decisions a lot less vulnerable.”
Reagan conducts research with Dr. Anderson and considers her to be a
mentor and source of inspiration. “Dr. Anderson is awesome. She is one of the most wonderful mentors that I think UWSMPH has to offer. She will do everything in her power to help students find the best path. Whether it is a path similar to what she took or not, she will still help them find a path that best suits them.”
Dr. Anderson encourages medical students and trainees to attend events like this dinner in the future. “Mentorship is something you must seek out. Different people have different experiences, and these types of events are what could spark those connections and help build networks.”
As part of the UW Department of Radiology’s efforts to attract people from historically underrepresented groups, Jade Anderson, MD attended the Student National Medical Association’s Annual Medical Education Conference.
On March 22, 2024, students from James C. Wright Middle School participated in a career day hosted by the departments of medical physics and radiology. Thanks to teamwork from a wide variety of backgrounds from ultrasound, radiology, radiation therapy, and MRI, students received hands-on opportunities to explore medical physics and learn about its potential career opportunities.
Along with medical physics graduate student Lucky Volety and teacher Tom Brown, Tim Szczykutowicz, PhD helped coordinate the event, which is in its fourth year. He also demonstrated how objects are scanned using Computed Tomography (CT).
Teaching in the classroom isn’t the only way our faculty support students! Tim Szczykutowicz, PhD participated in the BME Design Projects program as a client for the project ‘CT Image-Guided Surgical Device Alignment Testing System’.
Students Jaime Barajas, Kimberly Chappell, Anna Kallsen, Rae Ng, and Daniel Konon consulted with Dr. Szczykutowicz about his work and developed a training and quality assurance program to aid our clinical team in ensuring the guidance systems used in interventional CT are accurate.
In May, the department invited Michele Johnson, MD to meet with Building Equitable Access to Mentorship (BEAM) Program students to discuss the importance of mentorship and highlight radiology in the field of medicine. Dr. Johnson also delivered a Grand Rounds and a case-based board review.
From faculty receiving lifetime achievement awards to medical students presenting their first poster, our department members shone brightly during this year’s conference season.
SPECTRUM 2024 Conference
January 11, 2024 - January 14, 2024 • Miami, Florida
Resident Allison Couillard, MD won the Best Abstract Award and presented at multiple sessions during the conference.
Society of Thoracic Radiology (STR) Annual Meeting
February 24, 2024 - February 28, 2024 • Tucson, Arizona
Resident Emily Kruger, MD won a Certificate of Merit for her poster “Phantoms of the Thorax.”
Society of Skeletal Radiology (SSR) Annual Meeting
March 2, 2024 - March 6, 2024 • San Juan, Puerto Rico
Donna Blankenbaker, MD completed her two-year term as president of the Society of Skeletal Radiology.
Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) Annual Meeting
March 23, 2024 - March 28, 2024 • Salt Lake City, Utah
Eric Monroe, MD was inducted as a fellow of the society.
John Swietlik, MD was elected to a two-year term for the society’s Interventional Oncology Clinical Specialty Council.
Katrina Falk, a MD-PhD student under advisement of Paul Laeseke, MD and Martin Wagner, MD, won the Dr. Constantine Cope Medical Student Research Abstract award.
American College of Radiology (ACR) Annual Meeting
April 13, 2024 - April 17, 2024 • Washington, DC
Tess Chapman, MD became a fellow of the ACR, one of the highest honors that the group bestows.
Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) Annual Meeting
April 14, 2024 - April 19, 2024 • Hollywood, Florida
Andrew Wentland, MD, PhD was awarded the Morton Bosniak Award for ‘”Evaluation of Central Non-Enhancement in Solid Renal Masses” as part of the society’s Research Grant Awards.
Perry Pickhardt, MD was inducted to the board for the society.
Elizabeth Sadowski, MD received the DEI Achievement Award.
American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) Annual Meeting
May 5, 2024 - May 9, 2024 • Boston, Massachusetts
Anand Narayan, MD, PhD received a Certificate of Merit for the abstract “The Influence of Inequalities on Adverse Imaging Outcomes: A Multi-specialty, Case-Based Review.” Co-author Antonio Lopez matched with UW Radiology on Match Day 2024!
Asian Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (AFSUMB) Annual Meeting
May 9, 2024 - May 11, 2024 • Seoul, Korea
Research assistant Adrienne Kisting won the Young Investigator Award - Grand Prix for presenting “Histotripsy of the Ureter and Renal Pelvis in a Porcine Survival Model.”
Research assistant Meridith Kisting won the Best Poster Award - Gold for “Histotripsy near gas-filled bowel in an ex vivo swine model.”
Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM)
June 27, 2024 - June 29, 2024 • National Harbor, Maryland
Graduate Research Assistant Sheena Chu, MS’s paper “Advanced Analytics Tools Guide Clinical MRI Protocol Optimization and Quantify Value” received the Roger A. Bauman, MD award for best student paper. She is mentored by John Garrett, PhD and Scott Reeder, MD, PhD.
In recognition of his extraordinary service to the field of cardiovascular magnetic resonance, David Bluemke, MD, PhD received the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance’s (SCMR) highest honor, the Gold Medal Award, at the group’s annual conference. Dr. Bluemke traveled to London in January 2024 to accept the award.
Upon acceptance of the award, Dr. Bluemke shared “This is truly a huge honor for me, coming from this society that’s meant so much to me over a long period of time, over 25 years.” He went on to thank his colleagues and mentors that have supported him through his journey and shared an anecdote from his career.
“In the mid 1990s I was more of a cancer imaging physician, and then for unknown reasons I somehow got drafted on team cardiac MRI and it somehow stuck!” Whatever the reason may be, the field would not be the same had it not stuck. Through his educational endeavors, service in leadership roles, and research efforts; there is no area in cardiovascular magnetic resonance that has not benefited from Dr. Bluemke’s expertise.
As a professor of thoracic imaging and cardiovascular imaging in the radiology department at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Dr. Bluemke has had a profound impact on radiology education. The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) recognized Dr. Bluemke for providing high-quality education content by naming him an Honored Educator for the past three consecutive years.
Throughout his career, Dr. Bluemke demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the field through his leadership roles in societies. This included serving on the board of trustees and as treasurer for the Internal Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM); as president of the North American Society of Cardiovascular Imaging (NASCI); on the board of the SCMR; and as chair of the American College of Radiology (ACR) Cardiac Accreditation Commitee. He has also helped set standards in the field through his appointment to the ACR Committee on Standards for Body MRI and the ACR Committee on Standards and Accreditation for Magnetic Resonance.
Dr. Bluemke’s impressive contributions to the field of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging include more than 800 peerreviewed publications with an h-index of 150, over 300 national and international presentations, and training more than 30 U.S. and international post-graduates. He was the Principal Investigator of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s first multicenter population study using cardiovascular MRI (the MultiEthnic Study of Atherosclerosis), and developed standards used worldwide for MRI diagnosis of a rare cardiomyopathy. He is a fellow of the ACR, NASCI, ISMRM, and the American Heart Association (AHA) and has served on the editorial board for multiple journals. He is the past editor of the field’s leading journal in the field, Radiology.
Fred Lee Jr., MD accepted the Gold Medal, the highest honor that the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) bestows, at the society’s annual meeting in March 2024. This honor is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the field, dedicated their talents to advancing the quality of patient care, and helped ensure the future of interventional radiology.
Dr. Lee is a passionate researcher, dedicated clinician, and superb educator. His work has resulted in nearly 300 scientific publications, 22 book chapters, more than 70 major awards, 25 patents and inventions, and substantial federal and industrial grant support. His commitment has had a lasting impact on cancer care; it is estimated that over 80,000 cancer patients have received treatment from tumor ablation devices that Dr. Lee invented. He has inspired and supported countless medical students and trainees in his 30-plus years as a professor at UW–Madison.
To celebrate this incredible honor, we took the opportunity to interview Dr. Lee about his illustrious career. Read the full interview for his reflections on his career and advice for future radiologists.
When you accepted the award, you had fellow faculty members, trainees, and even alumni join you on stage. Can you share why it was important to you that colleagues in all levels of the field joined you?
I get far too much credit for the successes of our team, and it was only fitting that we celebrate together. I stand on the shoulders of some incredible people, and it was fun to have them join me and take credit for helping push our ideas and UW forward.
Can you share what the receipt of this award means to you?
When I went on stage to accept the gold medal, the only word that sprung to mind was “wow.” I suddenly felt the weight of previous generations on my shoulders, and I started thinking of all the sacrifices that my predecessors made so I could stand on that stage.
When you come from an immigrant family like I do, you are highly aware that you are only there because of what others did — my life has been very easy compared to my grandparent’s and parent’s generations. Our father’s family grew up in the ghetto of Buffalo, NY and seven kids were put through college, medical school, engineering school, and pharmacy school by their hard work at our Chinese laundry where they both lived and worked.
The kids were expected to start working in the laundry at 6 years old and they didn’t have a place to live, so they slept on the floor amongst the laundry equipment. When I flash forward from the ghetto of Buffalo to accepting the gold medal on that stage…Well, I think you can see why the moment seemed unreal.
Perry Pickhardt, MD accepted a Gold Medal at the annual Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) meeting in April. The Gold Medal is the highest honor bestowed by SAR and is awarded for an individual’s outstanding contributions to abdominal radiology, medicine, and patient health.
Dr. Pickhardt is a world-renowned researcher with focuses on CT colonography, colorectal cancer screening, artificial intelligence, oncologic imaging, and opportunistic CT screening. His findings have earned him two Most Influential Radiology Researcher awards from AuntMinnie, multiple Best of American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) Awards, and seven best paper awards from the SAR. In May, he was named an Honorary Fellow by the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR).
He has been a dedicated educator for over two decades and serves in leadership roles as the chief of gastrointestinal imaging for the department and formerly the medical director of oncological imaging for the UW Carbone Cancer Center.
We interviewed Dr. Pickhardt to discover impactful moments in his career and included highlights below. Read the full interview here.
Some of your recent work has been dedicated to AI. What sparked your interest in this technology? How do you see it being further incorporated in the field?
For many years, my CT-based research involved trying to add value by leveraging incidental and additional findings that were going unused. The advent of AI simply allowed this same work to be fully
automated and more efficient, paving the way for much larger, population-based studies.
Looking back on your career, what are some moments that you’re most proud of?
In the Navy, I ran a multi-million dollar, multi-center trial when I was just a year or two years beyond residency training. This trial was published in the NEJM [New England Journal of Medicine] the month I moved to UW and made quite a splash. This initial work led to many other publications, NIH R01 grants, etc., but most importantly had a positive impact on patient care. This set the tone for the rest of my academic career to date.
What advice would you give to young radiologists, or students who are interested in entering the field?
A career in academic radiology can be incredibly fulfilling, as it blends clinical practice, research, and education in a perfect mix. The potential impact of our work can be far-reaching, and the people that you can interact with around the globe are fascinating.
Can you share what the receipt of this award means to you?
For me, this award is more meaningful than any other accolade in radiology that I can think of. The SAR has always been the most important radiology society and is where I always concentrated my best efforts.
Edwarda Golden, MD joined us as an assistant professor (CHS) in the Abdominal Imaging & Intervention section. While obtaining her medical degree from UW, she collaborated with colleagues in our department on publications. Dr. Golden completed her residency and fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Sean Golden, MD joined us as an assistant professor (CHS) in the Interventional Radiology section. After attending Yale University, he returned Madison for medical school. Dr. Golden completed his residency at John Hopkins Hospital.
Changhee Lee, MD joined us as an assistant professor (CHS) in the Nuclear Medicine section. He researched at UW–Madison as a visiting professor for one year prior to completing his residency in our Nuclear Medicine program.
Thomas LoDuca, MD joined us as an assistant professor (CHS) in the Breast Imaging & Intervention section. He served as chief resident at the University of Texas Southwestern before returning to UW for a fellowship in Breast Imaging and Intervention.
Jeffrey Swick, MD joined us as a clinical assistant professor in the Community division. After completing his residency and Musculoskeletal Imaging fellowship at UW Hospital and Clinics, he practiced at Minneapolis Radiology Associates and remotely for The Radiology Group in Beaverton, OR.
Leslie Nelson, DO joined us as an assistant professor (CHS) in the Abdominal Imaging & Interventional section. She completed her internship in general surgery and diagnostic radiology residency at the University of Kentucky before returning to UW for her Abdominal Imaging and Intervention fellowship.
Matt Smith, MD, PhD joined us as an Assistant Professor (CHS) in the Abdominal Imaging & Intervention section. He earned his medical and doctorate degrees from UW–Madison. Dr. Smith completed his residency at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Christopher Brace, PhD promoted to Professor (Tenure)
Allison Grayev, MD promoted to Professor (CHS)
Eric Monroe, MD promoted to Professor (CHS)
Joseph Tang, MD promoted to Clinical Professor
John Garrett, PhD promoted to Associate Professor (CHS)
Michael Hartung, MD promoted to Associate Professor (CHS)
Erica Knavel Koepsel, MD promoted to Associate Professor (CHS)
Dustin Pooler, MD promoted to Clinical Associate Professor
John-Paul (JP) Yu, MD, PhD promoted to Associate Professor (Tenure)
Scott Reeder, MD, PhD featured by
NBC News interviewed Scott Reeder, MD, PhD for the article “The U.S. just sold its helium stockpile. Here’s why the medical world is worried” that was published on January 25, 2024.
The article highlights the use of helium in medical sciences, particularly its notable feature of being the only element on earth cold enough to keep magnets in MRI machines cool, a vital requirement for the machines to function.
Dr. Reeder spoke to the versatility that MRI offers in the field, noting “MRI is playing an increasingly important role in detection, treatment, monitoring and prognosis of so many diseases, and we’re going to have to think carefully as a field about how to ensure the supply chain doesn’t get to a state of crisis.”
He also offered that there are ways to reduce non-essential usage of helium, suggesting that “it’s probably not good to use helium for party balloons anymore.”
This isn’t the first time Dr. Reeder has spoken to NBC News about the issue – they relied on his expertise in the 2023 article “The world is running out of helium. Here’s why doctors are worried.”
On February 13, 2024, Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) host Jill Nadeau interviewed Mai Elezaby, MD about risk factors for breast cancer as well as updated screening recommendations, early detection and treatment. In addition, Dr. Elezaby answered listeners’ questions on the risk benefit ratio related to radiation exposure, second opinions, and when to halt annual screenings. Listen here.
In a special segment for the Susan G. Komen ‘More Than Pink’ walk, News 3 Now spoke with Anand Narayan, MD, PhD regarding access to breast cancer screening. Dr. Narayan highlighted that while individuals may feel powerless against cancer, screenings are a powerful tool. He works to make breast cancer screening more available to everyone; with a focus on ethnic minorities, individuals in rural areas, and those who do not have insurance. Watch here.
After 13 years at UW–Madison, Bradley Maxfield, MD, an associate professor in the Pediatric Radiology section, retired in December 2023.
Dr. Maxfield had previously served as section chief for Pediatric Radiology. During the holidays, he brought extra cheer by dressing up for Halloween and wearing festive sweaters during the winter holiday season. He has been passionate about raising money and awareness for childhood cancer.
In April, Scott Nagle, MD, PhD, an associate professor in the Cardiovascular Imaging and Thoracic Imaging sections retired. He joined the faculty in 2009 after completing his residency at Stanford, an MRI Fellowship at UW Hospital & Clinics, and a doctorate at the University of Chicago.
During his time with the department, he developed the Radius Medical Image Analysis Laboratory. It offers de-identification and coding, tumor response assessment, expert reader, quantitative cardiac and liver analysis, 4D Flow MRI processing, and 3D printing.
Upon retiring in June 2024 after over 20 years as a pediatric radiologist, Jane Lyon, MD reflected on her career and shared her proudest moments; from completing training as a single mom to helping separate rare ischiopagus conjoined twins.
In our interview with Dr. Lyon, she reflected on her career and plans for the future. Read the full interview here.
Why did you decide to pursue a career in radiology? I went to medical school thinking I would go into primary care, but I really loved my surgery rotation, doing procedures and working with my hands. However, I was a single mother in medical school. Surgery residency started too early for me to obtain childcare. So, I thought radiology residency, and specifically interventional radiology, would be a great way to still get to do procedures and take my daughter to school!
What are some changes you’ve seen in radiology?
We didn’t even have PACS in my residency, so in fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia that was a major change from hanging films and sorting through film jackets. And of course, the quality of the images we look at now is magnificently improved over “the olden days!” Now there are so many even more exciting changes happening in AI!
In August 2024, Frederick Kelcz, MD, PhD, FACR retired, leaving behind an impressive legacy. Dr. Kelcz played a pivotal role in establishing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a clinical screening tool and was among the first wave of physicians to advocate for MRI screening for breast cancer.
During an interview, Dr. Kelcz shared reflections on his career and advice for young radiologists. Read the full interview here.
Why did you decide to pursue a career in radiology?
I was always a “technical” kind of guy; probably because my father worked as a biomedical technician and, off hours, as a television repairman (in times past when you could actually fix a TV in a shop). I became a medical physicist here at UW, under Professor Charles Mistretta and, after working four years as a physicist at Columbia Presbyterian, decided I wanted to become more involved in the medicine side of things where I could better appreciate WHY certain imaging devices were needed and how they interacted with the patients’ overall care.
What initially drew you to UW–Madison? Madison had a great reputation in physics, which is why I first came here, then, as a radiologist, I recalled the strength of medical physics here in Madison, and so decided to come back to enjoy the area and the work.
After an impressive three decades as a devoted community radiologist as well as an exceptional educator and mentor, Lynn Broderick, MD retired in August 2024.
In honor of her career achievements and outstanding contributions to the field, she received the Flaherty Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Radiological Society (WRS) this spring. This is WRS’s highest honor and only given when a suitable candidate is nominated.
Demonstrating her commitment to aiding young radiologists with career development, she received the prestigious and highly competitive Teacher of the Year award from both UW–Madison and Indiana University. Alongside Susan Rebsamen, MD; Elizabeth Sadowski, MD; and Elizabeth Burnside, MD, Dr. Broderick founded the Women Physicians in Radiology in 2009. The group remains active and has been renamed Women Professionals in Radiology to reflect a broader mission.
Dr. Broderick’s dedication to advancing the field of radiology and supporting the next generation of radiologist extends past the teaching arena. Throughout her career she has held leadership positions including president of both the Wisconsin Radiological Society and the Indiana Radiological Society.
Read more about Dr. Broderick’s career here.
The Department of Radiology had a strong presence at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s (SMPH) Chapter of the Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) symposium this past November, with Jessica Robbins, MD and Elizabeth Burnside, MD receiving awards and Pallavi Tiwari, PhD serving on a panel.
Dr. Robbins accepted the Excellence in Mentorship Award during the symposium. As our department’s vice chair for faculty development and enrichment, she advocates passionately for the professional development and well-being of radiologists. She leads mentorship activities, encourages career planning and advancement, and champions diversity and inclusion. For over a decade, Dr. Robbins served as the associate director for the Diagnostic Radiology Residency program, and she has contributed to mentorship of faculty across the SMPH through her involvement with the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development. On a national scale, Dr. Robbins mentors future and early-career radiologists through organizations and has had leadership roles in many of those.
Dr. Burnside received the Advancing Women in Medicine and Science Award due to her history of mentoring clinician-scientists and trainees from translational disciplines. In addition, her role as both the executive co-director of the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research and associate dean for team science and interdisciplinary research directly supports this work. She leads a new professional development pathway program designed to support investigators from historically underrepresented backgrounds as they advance clinical and translational research, and is the
contact principal investigator of the NIH-supported UW Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health Program. Dr. Burnside has also contributed to the larger mission of the university and her specialty through leadership in national organizations.
In addition to the honors awarded, Dr. Tiwari participated in the symposium’s panel and served as a member of the steering committee for GWIMS. Reflecting on her career and the importance of mentorship, Dr. Tiwari shared “A blessing for me is the outstanding mentors I’ve had in my life, I don’t think I would be where I am today without my mentors.” She also noted “At every stage in your career, you need mentorship in some capacity to help you out both in your professional and personal life.”
The Department of Radiology is committed to a culture of inclusion and encourages its members to pursue leadership and career development opportunities. Dr. Robbins, Dr. Burnside, and Dr. Tiwari emulate these ideals and lead the way for women in medicine and science not only at our institution, but nationwide.
On June 26, 2024, Tabby Kennedy, MD and UW Department of Radiology Chair Scott Reeder, MD, PhD were honored at the annual School of Medicine and Public Health Faculty Investiture Celebration. The event celebrates faculty members that hold endowed professorships, chairships, or fellowships that are supported through philanthropy.
Dr. Kennedy, named as the Joseph F. Sackett Professor, is the first woman to hold an endowed professorship within the Department of Radiology. Her success in a historically male-dominated field is a beacon to the next generation of radiologists.
Hired in 2010, Dr. Kennedy currently serves as a professor. She has been the Neuroradiology section chief since 2019 and is the vice chair of communications in the department.
An exemplary academic radiologist who values patient care and sets the standard for excellence in Head and Neck Radiology and Neuroimaging, Dr. Kennedy has co-authored an impressive number of publications. She’s written on topics ranging from ACR Appropriateness Criteria to radiology workflows to educational approaches to teaching the complex anatomy of head and neck.
Dr. Kennedy is an outstanding educator, and has been selected by trainees for honors such as Radiology Department Medical Student Teacher of the Year (2019) and the Wisconsin Medical Alumni Association Distinguished Clinical Science Teaching Award (2017, 2021). She has also been singled out by her peers with distinctions like the Dean’s Teaching Award in 2015.
Named in honor of one of our first chairs, the John H. Juhl Professorship reflects Dr. Reeder’s leadership in education, passion for research, and excellence in medical care.
He previously held the Fred Lee Sr., MD, Professorship.
Dr. Reeder became chair of the department in January 2024.
Over his nearly two decades with the department, Dr. Reeder has held numerous leadership positions, including section chief of the Cardiovascular Imaging section (2005-2013), chief of magnetic resonance imaging (2005-present), vice chair of research (20142021), and senior vice chair of research (2021-2023). In 2009, he founded the UW Liver Imaging Research Program, an active NIHfunded group (>$22 million in NIH funding) that he continues to lead today.
During the Community Division’s Meeting on April 8, 2024, B. Dustin Pooler, MD was presented with the UnityPoint Health –Meriter Collegiality Award.
Paul Hick, MD, the president of the medical staff, established the award in 2018 to recognize medical staff members who exemplified the spirit of being a real colleague.
Among many reasons, Dr. Pooler received this award for always being available to consult. In fact, he arrived late to the evening meeting as he stayed late to help a colleague!
Guang-Hong Chen, PhD was one of three UW-Madison researchers who joined the 2023 class of National Academy of Inventors fellows.
Eric Monroe, MD was featured alongside colleagues from multiple disciplines in the UW Health article “Lucy enjoying kindergarten after liver transplant.”
Nandakumar Menon, MD has been accepted into the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) 2024 Future Leaders Academy, which is designed to develop essential leadership skills and organizational expertise.
Amy Fowler, MD was appointed to a threeyear term on the Radiological Society of North America’s Quantitative Imaging Committee (QUIC).
Dr. Fowler also presented the 30th annual Hyman R. Senturia Memorial Lecture titled “Breast PET/MRI and Hormone Receptor Imaging” at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology on February 7, 2024.
Daniela Martin Rother, MD became co-director of the American College of Radiology (ACR)’s High Resolution CT of the Chest course in July. Dr. Martin served as faculty of the course for the past two years, and helped revamp the course.
Alan McMillan, PhD was a panelist for The President and First Lady’s Cancer Moonshot annual webinar on December 5, 2023. The panel discussion was on artificial intelligence in cancer diagnostics and treatment.
Dr. McMillan also served as a mentor for the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program Hackathon. The program was established in 1984 to increase educational opportunities for underrepresented students with the aim to create a more diverse and inclusive learning environment at UW.
Sylvana Garcia-Rodriguez, PhD and the RADIUS team won first prize at the RSNA 3D printing course for “A Novel Method for Creating Patient-Specific Models in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.” This project was a collaboration between Radiology, Food Science, and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.
JP Yu, MD, PhD was selected to serve a three-year term on the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s Research Professor Track Appointments and Promotion Committee.
Prashant Nagpal, MD was an editor for Advances and Innovations in Cardiovascular Imaging published by Radiologic Clinics.
Allison Grayev, MD began her term as president of the Alliance of Medical Student Educators in Radiology during the Association of University Radiologists annual meeting.
Jonathan Engle, PhD was awarded the Vilas Faculty Mid-Career Investigator Award for excellence in research and teaching.
Ran Zhang, PhD and Thomas Grist, MD received the Moses & Sylvia Greenfield Award at the American Association of Physicists in Medicine meeting for the paper “A quality-checked and physics-constrained deep learning method to estimate material basis images from single-kV contrastenhanced chest CT Scans.”
Jeffrey Kanne, MD was appointed Editorin-Chief of the Journal of Thoracic Imaging (JTI). Prior to this appointment, Dr. Kanne served as Deputy Editor.
Perry Pickhardt, MD delivered the talk “There’s Gold in Them Thar Scans! AIDriven Opportunistic CT Biomarkers for Adding Value Beyond the Clinical Indication” at the Ether Dome at Massachusetts General Hospital on January 26, 2024.
Edward Lawrence, MD, PhD and Steve Cho, MD were featured in the e-newsletter ACR Daily Scan for their findings from “MP18-18 Impact of 18F-DCFPYL PSMA PET on Accuracy of MPMRI In Men With Low And Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer: Interim Analysis of a Phase II Diagnostic Trial.” David Jarrad, MD from the Urology department was also involved in the project and won Best Poster for the project at the American Urologic Association.
In addition to celebrating the graduates, the Resident Graduation Ceremony featured our dedicated educators.
Michael Tuite, MD and Tyler Prout, MD received a UW Health’s Patient Safety Leadership Award in recognition of going above and beyond to improve patient safety.
Tess Chapman, MD was recognized by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for her many hours as a dedicated volunteer for a review committee.
Matthew Lee, MD was featured in the article “Capturing the Unseen” for the April edition of Radiology Today.
Anand Narayan, MD, PhD was appointed as chair of the American College of Radiology (ACR)’s Commission on Patient and Family Centered Care Outreach Committee.
Elizabeth Burnside, MD; Amy Fowler, MD, PhD; and Steve Cho, MD represented the department during the visit by NIH Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli.
Chair Scott Reeder, MD, PhD honored David Kim, MD for his 19 years serving as the Diagnostic Residency program director. Other awards included:
Medical Student Award for Outstanding Teaching: By Faculty: Prashant Nagpal, MD
By a Resident: Alex Griffith, MD
Resident Award for Outstanding Teaching:
By Faculty: Jeffrey Kanne, MD
By a Fellow: Stephen Polanski, MD
By a Technologist: Christina Hendricks
Jody Riherd, MD completed her Diagnostic Radiology residency and Abdominal Imaging and Intervention fellowship at University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. She was recently appointed as department chair of imaging at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, where she previously served as section chair of ultrasound for 14 years. Learn more about Dr. Riherd, and her time at UW–Madison below! Read the full interview here.
What career milestones have you achieved since your time at UW–Madison?
I am most proud of starting up a monthly conference for sonographers and radiologists. We use the time to review good cases, discuss quality improvement, introduce new protocols, or offer didactic review. We have grown from 10 sonographers to 28 strong. New hires have been surprised and impressed that we provide this learning opportunity and love that they can earn CME credit while doing it. In the last year, I have stepped into the role of department chair of imaging. I plan to continue to focus on education, collaboration, and quality on this grander scale.
How would you say your training at UW–Madison has helped you in your career?
The comprehensive teaching that covered the spectrum of radiology was top-notch and I felt more than prepared to start my first job when I got out of training. Beyond the nuts and bolts of radiology, I learned how to manage my time during a busy call night, how to work under pressure during case conferences, and how to interact with other specialties while in the reading room. These life skills have been essential over my career.
What’s your favorite memory from your time at UW?
My favorite time from residency was actually studying for oral boards. The small group studying sessions gave us the opportunity to reunite and teach each other what we knew. I am grateful to Jen Bergin for giving me mammography cases and Marcus Cabay for teaching me about bone tumors. Bob Garrett, Richard Bruce, and I challenged ourselves with a review course in Florida.
This dedicated time to study was essential for my training, I felt like everything was finally coming together. The staff were incredibly generous with their time, giving us hours of extra case conferences. Seeing how much they were invested in us and cheering for our success was greatly appreciated. We capped off our last year by making a senior video with the help of staff, other residents and guest appearances.
Meghan Elizabeth Theresa (Smith) Hanson, MD passed away on Friday, March 22, 2024 after a brief illness.
After earning her medical degree from the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, Dr. Hanson joined our department in 2006 as a Diagnostic Radiology resident and subsequently as an Abdominal Imaging and Intervention fellow.
In addition to her clinical work, she presented at multiple scientific meetings, taught medical students, and published multiple papers. She also helped plan the resident graduation ceremony.
Faculty, staff, and alumni alike remember Dr. Hanson as a skilled radiologist and compassionate individual.
“More than a colleague, Meghan was known for her cheerful personality and was a friend to many of us,” noted Chair Scott Reeder, MD, PhD. “We have celebrated her professional and personal accomplishments many times over the years and are deeply saddened that she did not have more time to shine.”
Former colleague and friend Erica Knavel Koepsel, MD collected donations to plant five trees in Meghan’s name as she was an avid lover of the outdoors. Gifts were also made to the family-selected charities and the Meghan Hanson, MD, Memorial Imaging Scholarship Fund.
Meghan’s obituary is available on the Huehns Funeral Home website.
Alumni come together at the Society of Skeletal Radiology annual meeting in Puerto Rico.
