The Section of Thoracic Imaging provides state-of-the-art radiological examination and interpretation in all thoracic imaging modalities including digital radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The section is currently staffed by two full-time and three part-time faculty, all of whom specialize in thoracic imaging. The clinical work load consists mainly of chest radiographs (120 to 200 per day), CT scans (20 to 30 per day), and MRI scans (1-3 per week). Interventional procedures such as needle biopsies are performed in our Vascular and Interventional Radiology section. All interpretations are made from high-resolution LCD displays. During the past year we have entirely replaced out CT equipment with new multi-detector scanners, including a 40-slice unit. This has added new capabilities for advanced pulmonary and cardiac imaging. The chest section has continued to be active in research during the past year. Our NIH grant for implementation of digital temporal subtraction chest radiography has enabled us to install a system in the clinical area that allows us to implement temporal subtraction for the first time in a clinical environment. We are active members of the NIH sponsored Lung Image Database Consortium, which will establish a database of lung CT cases with documented nodules, for use in development of computer-aided-diagnosis, and possibly other applications. The section collaborates with several investigators in the basic science section, including Sam Armato, Feng Li, Junji Shiraishi , Kenji Suzuki and others on projects relating to computer-aided diagnosis and digital image processing for detection of chest disease.

Faculty:

Heber MacMahon, M.D.
Professor of Radiology & Medicine/Cardiology
Section Chief, Thoracic Radiology

Philip Caligiuri, M.D
Clinical Associate

Alexandra Funaki, D.O.
Clinical Associate

Steven M. Montner, M.D.
Associate Professor of Radiology