Musculoskeletal Imaging & Intervention Fellowship

In our clinical practice as a major academic referral center for musculoskeletal disorders, our fellows gain substantial exposure to a full spectrum of musculoskeletal pathologies in our busy oncology, sports medicine, rheumatology, infection, metabolic imaging, and trauma services.

Our Section is responsible for interpretation of adult musculoskeletal plain radiographs encompassing essentially the entire range of musculoskeletal pathologies, commonly serving as the basis for interpretation of advanced imaging.

Our facilities include state-of-the-art MRI and CT equipment with dedicated musculoskeletal packages. We provide interpretation for all adult and pediatric musculoskeletal MRI and CT examinations, while consultations on musculoskeletal MRI and CT, as well as PET-CT studies performed at non-UCI sites offer additional exposure to interesting cases.

Our division also utilizes advanced ultrasound equipment primarily in our sports medicine and oncology services.

Our section enjoys a busy interventional service, and an array of imaging-guided diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are routinely performed by our faculty and fellows. Fluoroscopy, ultrasound, and CT are utilized for imaging guidance. Musculoskeletal interventions include joint and bursa injections, aspirations, tendon interventions, nerve blocks, muscle biopsies, bone marrow aspirations, as well as bone and soft tissue biopsies for initial diagnosis of primary or metastatic tumors, infection, tumor re-staging and recurrence, as well as tumor molecular profiling and genomic testing.

In addition, our section is a referral practice for minimally invasive thermal ablation of benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumors in collaboration with orthopedic oncology and other referring services. We utilize various thermal ablation modalities including radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation to treat benign bone tumors and to achieve local tumor control and pain palliation in patients with malignant tumors of bone and soft tissues including musculoskeletal metastases and sarcomas.

Our service line includes pediatric musculoskeletal interventions as well as spine interventions such as thermal ablations, biopsies, and injections. Vertebral augmentation and cementation are also performed in our practice.

Didactic lectures and case conferences are routinely provided by our faculty to fellows and residents covering full range of pathologies in diagnostic musculoskeletal radiology as well as techniques in musculoskeletal interventions.

Our faculty and fellows participate in multi-disciplinary conferences including weekly orthopedic oncologic tumor board as well as weekly spine surgery conference which provide in-depth experience in diagnosis, management, and follow up of complex cases.

Ample scientific and educational research opportunities in musculoskeletal imaging and intervention are available. Our fellows are encouraged to participate in national/international radiological meetings with dedicated conference time. We routinely publish in high-impact radiology journals and are active at national meetings.

Our fellows participate in musculoskeletal subspecialty weekend call. Optional moonlighting opportunities are available to interested fellows.