Program Director

Frank Miller, MD
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Department of Radiology
676 North St. Clair Suite 800
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Phone: 312-695-3755
Fax: 312-695-5645
Email: Fellowship Coordinator

Details

The MR-Predominant Body Imaging and Musculoskeletal Fellowship at Northwestern University and Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago has 6, one year positions. The positions for 2014-2015 have been filled.  Fellows will rotate through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) imaging during the course of the year with the main focus of the fellowship on MR imaging. The MR experience includes abdominal, pelvic, musculoskeletal, cardiac, vascular, and chest examinations. CT examinations include all non-neurological applications including abdominal, chest, coronary and musculoskeletal. Ultrasound includes abdominal and pelvic, thyroid, testes, musculoskeletal, and vascular/transplant applications.

The Radiology Department is filmless with comprehensive Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). Northwestern Memorial Hospital opened a new inpatient hospital/Ambulatory Care Center in1999 and a two floor state of the art outpatient imaging center in 2009. We currently utilize 12 high field magnet systems. We installed 5, 1.5T Avanto with TIM and one Aera scanner (32 channel Total Imaging Matrix technology) as well as 2, 3T Verio magnets. We also have an interventional MR suite utilized for combined X-ray interventional MR procedures 50 percent of the time that is also utilized for conventional MR cases by a split room system. This system is first in the US to utilize the new Siemens 1.5T high field ultrashort open Espree. We currently perform over 100 body/cardiovascular/musculoskeletal MR examinations per day and over 10,000 abdominal and pelvic MR exams per year. Trainees will gain additional experience reading studies from the new Prentice Women’s Hospital and our new outpatient imaging center. Innovative techniques include functional imaging including perfusion imaging and routine use of diffusion weighted imaging, MR elastography, and 3T MRI imaging including prostate MR.

The fellow is responsible for all aspects of the examination including patient triage, protocols, monitoring of examinations, exam interpretation and dictation. The fellow has graduated responsibility and acts under the direct supervision of twenty faculty members of the Division of Body Imaging. The faculty is fellowship trained with subspecialty fellowships including body imaging, chest, cardiac, gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal radiology. Our highly trained staff including full-time certified technologists and full-time RN coverage supports the fellow.

The fellow will benefit from expertise in the variety of excellent clinical areas at Northwestern including orthopedics and sports medicine, urology, gastroenterology, vascular surgery, transplant surgery, oncology and urology. In addition, there is a high-level collaborative MR research program with Siemens. Ample opportunities for clinical research are available. Our fellows usually participate in at least one project leading to a presentation at national radiology meetings and/or publications. The MR program has an international reputation.

CT utilizes the latest technology and is a high volume modality, currently with 11 multidetector CT scanners including Siemens Definition 128 AS+, Siemens Definition Dual Source/Dual Energy, Siemens Definition 64 AS, Siemens Sensation Cardiac 64 and Siemens Sensation 16 and GE LightSpeed scanners. CT examinations include chest, abdomen, and pelvis studies as well CT angiography. There is an active cardiovascular CT program with coronary and cardiac morphology CTA.

The Ultrasound service consists primarily of abdominal, musculoskeletal, and small parts sonography. The fellow will get extensive experience with routine abdominal work; transplant cases, deep abdominal Doppler sonography, pelvic ultrasound, as well as small parts sonography.

There is also some pediatric work associated with the neonatal intensive care unit and an opportunity to perform ultrasound guided intervention and intraoperative ultrasound. The division currently has 12 ultrasound machines including 2 Siemens S2000, 4 Sequoias, and 6 Philips iU 22 units. There are monthly ultrasound specific conferences in addition to the imaging conferences.

The high number and complexity of exams exposes the fellows to a large variety of material. We currently have several imaging conferences a week that are suitable for the fellowship level. These include a weekly “Body Imaging” conference during which interesting cases are reviewed, a weekly “Body MRI” conference led by the Body Imaging fellows, a weekly interdepartmental GI/GI oncology conference, a monthly Gynecologic Imaging conference and a monthly “Soft Tissue Sarcoma Imaging” conference. In addition, there are weekly MR physics and cardiovascular MR lectures. There are a variety of other departmental and interdepartmental conferences (including a combined angiography/vascular surgery conference during which MRAs are reviewed) that are available to the fellows. The fellow is expected to be an active part of resident and medical student teaching on the rotations.

All positions for 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 have been filled.  We will accept applications for six positions to begin July 1, 2015.  This fellowship program does not participate in the match.

Application Requirements

• Download and complete the Graduate Medical Education Application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal Statement
• Three letters of recommendation addressed to: Dr. Frank Miller
• USMLE transcripts
• ABR Board scores, if applicable
• Photograph (passport-size)

All completed applications and supporting documentation should be addressed to: