We use cookies and other tools to enhance your experience on our website and to analyze our web traffic. For more information about these cookies and the data collected, please refer to our web privacy statement.
Translations on this website are prepared by a third-party provider. Some portions may be incorrect. Some items—including downloadable files or images—cannot be translated at all. No liability is assumed by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for any errors or omissions. Any user who relies on translated content does so at his/her own risk.
About Our Vascular and Interventional Radiology (VIR) Research Program
The BIDMC Vascular and Interventional Radiology Team in BostonThe Division of Interventional Radiology at BIDMC has an exciting and comprehensive research program. The Minimally Invasive Tumor Therapy Lab, headed by Muneeb Ahmed, MD, Chief, Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Associate Professor of Radiology, and joined by Marwan Moussa, MD, Instructor of Radiology, continues to study biologic effects of targeted cancer therapies—expanding beyond pro-oncogenic effects of ablation into targeted delivery of immunomodulaters using nanocarriers.
Jeff Weinstein, MD, Program Director, IR Integrated and Independent Residencies, received a BID Radiology Foundation Pilot Grant, and is continuing his work using kinematic hand motion tracking to evaluate technical proficiency among trainees and expert proceduralists. Ammar Sarwar, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology, is pursuing health services research, with studies on readmission after IR procedures, time-driven activity-based costing in for Interventional Oncology procedures, and analyzing outcomes for HCC after IR treatments in local and national data.
Seth Berkowitz, MD, Instructor in Radiology, continues to develop novel smartphone applications to facilitate patient-reported outcomes, including tracking post-operative pain, and was awarded a BIDMC Center for Healthcare Delivery Sciences Grant. Julie Bulman, MD, Instructor in Radiology, oversaw the implementation of our telehealth IR clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic, reporting our experience to JVIR and now studying the patient and provider experience during our remote IR clinic. Sahil Mehta, MD, Instructor in Radiology, continues to examine how online search engines influence patient choice for IR therapies.
Salomao Faintuch, MD, Assistant Professor of Radiology, is running a clinical trial on the use of a novel embolization device, Sarah Schroeppel DeBacker, MD, Instructor in Radiology, continues to study the role of cone-beam CT during biliary interventions, and Barry Sacks, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology, has reported on his vast experience in endocrinology interventions and adrenal venous sampling.
Over a dozen trainees and research fellows are active in IR research, including delivering national meeting presentations, and several of our trainees have received awards for their work in IR. Faculty members have co-authored over 40 original papers, reviews, and consensus guidelines in 2019-2020. Two faculty members, Ammar Sarwar and Jeff Weinstein, were recognized as Fellows of the Society of Interventional Radiology (FSIR) for their contributions to the specialty.
“Modulating Systemic Pro-oncogenic Effects of Focal Image-guided Tumor Ablation,” Muneeb Ahmed (PI), NIH National Cancer Institute. Ongoing.
“Radiology Review of Pathology Results Discordant with Imaging Findings of Image-guided Biopsy,” Olga Brook and Seth Berkowitz (co-investigators). CRICO.
The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare “Honor Your Caregiver” Award, 2019.
2019 RSNA Advanced-Level Quality Certificate for Quality Improvement in Your Practice.
2019 Academy of Radiology Leadership and Management Certificate of Achievement.
2019 RSNA Cum Laude Award for poster presentation: Jensen KK, Jha P, Sun D, Sohaey R, Oh KY, Jafarian N, Brook OR, Berli J, Foster BR. Imaging of Transition: A Comprehensive Pictorial Review of Gender Affirmation Surgeries. Radiological Society of North America 105th Assembly and Annual Meeting. December 1-6, 2019. Chicago, IL.
Fellow of the Society of Computed Body Tomography and Magnetic Resonance
Olga Brook, MD
Section of the Year – from the Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program, Department of Radiology, BIDMC (2015)
Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology
16th Annual Douglas K. Richardson ‘How I can help you’ Award – Awarded to the Division of Interventional Radiology for Exemplary Clinical Service from the Department of Neonatology, BIDMC
Jeff Weinstein, MD and the
Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology
Radiology, Editor’s Recognition Award for Reviewing with Distinction
Muneeb Ahmed, MD (2007)
Olga Brook, MD (2017)
Radiology, Editor’s Recognition Award for Reviewing with Special Distinction
Muneeb Ahmed, MD (2009)
Radiographics, Editor’s Recognition Award for Reviewing with Distinction
Muneeb Ahmed, MD (2013)
Olga Brook, MD (2012, 2015)
Ammar Sarwar, MD (2016)
Abdominal Radiology, Distinguished Reviewer
Olga Brook, MD (2017)
Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Distinguished Reviewer
Jeff Weinstein, MD (2016, 2017)
Harrington Hospital Physician of the Year Finalist
Seth Berkowitz, MD (2017)
Information Technology Award Finalist – Massachusetts Medical Society
Seth Berkowitz, MD (2013)
‘Designated Hitter’ Award – Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, BIDMC
Olga Brook, MD (2016)
BIDMC Faculty – Exceptional Contributions to the Teaching Program Award
Jeff Weinstein, MD (2017)
Faculty Humanism Award – The Gold Humanism Society, BIDMC
Olga Brook, MD (2016)
Beth Israel Deaconess Academy of Medical Educators – Associate Member
Sahil Mehta, MD (2012)
Morris Simon, MD Award for Clinical Innovation – Department of Radiology, BIDMC
Ammar Sarwar, MD (2017)
Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology – Annual Editor’s Award for Outstanding Laboratory Investigation (2013)
Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology – Annual Editor’s Award for Outstanding Laboratory Investigation (2014)
Radiofrequency (RF) ablation-induced upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α: Suppression with adjuvant bortezomib or liposomal chemotherapy
Muneeb Ahmed, MD, and co-authors
European Conference on Interventional Oncology – Most influential papers in Interventional Oncology in 2015-2016
Muneeb Ahmed, MD, and co-authors
Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology – Annual Editor’s Award for Distinguished Clinical Study (2016)
Outcomes after treatment of lateralized primary aldosteronism – a retrospective matched-cohort comparison of adrenalectomy and percutaneous radiofrequency ablation
Ammar Sarwar, MD
Olga Brook, MD
Barry Sacks, MD
Muneeb Ahmed, MD
Salomao Faintuch, MD, and co-authors
Society of Interventional Oncology – Most influential papers in Interventional Oncology in 2016-2017
Muneeb Ahmed, MD, and co-authors
Society of Interventional Oncology – Most influential papers in Interventional Oncology in 2017-2018
Muneeb Ahmed, MD, and co-authors
International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine – Summa Cum Laude Merit Award (2018)
Muneeb Ahmed, MD, and co-authors
Society of Interventional Radiology – Distinguished Abstract (2014)
Cone beam CT venography vs. cortisol measurements to confirm selective right adrenal vein catheterization during adrenal vein sampling: Does anatomical selectivity correlate with biochemical selectivity ratios?
Ammar Sarwar, MD
Barry Sacks, MD
Radiological Society of North America – Magna Cum Laude Award (2013)
Metrics for radiologists in value-based healthcare delivery
Sarwar A, Hostage C, Weinstein JL, Kim G, Novack V, Chakrala N, Park Y, Brook OR, Ahmed M. Causes and Rates of 30-day Readmission after Percutaneous Trans-hepatic Biliary Drainage. Radiology 2019 Mar; 290(3):722-729. doi:10.1148/radiol.2018180279. Epub 2019 Jan 1. PubMed PMID: 30599096.
Sarwar A, Park Y, Weinstein JL, Novack V, Chakrala N, Tapper E, Malik R, Ahmed M. Causes and rates of 30-Day Readmissions After Trans-jugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunts. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2019. In Press.
Franconeri A, Fang J, Brook A, Brook OR. Asymptomatic Endometrial Thickening of 8 mm or Greater on Postcontrast Computed Tomography in Postmenopausal Women Is a Predictor of Endometrial Cancer. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2019 Jan/Feb; 43(1):136-142. doi: 10.1097/RCT.0000000000000796. PubMed PMID: 30371608.
*Luo M, Berkowitz S, Nguyen Q, Yam CS, Faintuch S, Ahmed M, Collares F, Sarwar A, Weinstein JL, Brook OR. Electronic IR Group Peer Review and Learning Performed During Daily Clinical Rounds. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2019 Apr; 30(4):594-600. doi: 10.1016/j.jvir.2018.09.005. Epub 2019 Feb 27. PubMed PMID: 30824305.
Sarwar A, Hostage CA Jr, Weinstein JL, Kim G, Novack V, Chakrala N, Park Y, Brook OR, Ahmed M. Causes and Rates of 30-day Readmissions after Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage Procedure. Radiology. 2019 Mar;290(3):722-729. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2018180279. Epub 2019 Jan 1. PubMed PMID: 30599096.
*Franconeri A, Boos J, Fang J, Shenoy-Bhangle A, Perillo M, Wei CJ, Garrett L, Esselen K, Fong L, Brook OR. Adnexal Mass Staging CT with a Disease-specific, Structured Report Compared to Simple Structured Report. Eur Radiol. 2019 Sep; 29(9):4851-4860. doi: 10.1007/s00330-019-06037-7. Epub 2019 Feb 28. PubMed PMID: 30820722.
*Camacho A, Ahn EH, Appel E, Boos J, Nguyen Q, Justaniah AI, Faintuch S, Ahmed M, Brook OR. Uterine Artery Embolization with Gelfoam for Acquired Symptomatic Uterine Arteriovenous Shunting. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2019 Nov; 30(11):1750-1758. doi: 10.1016/j.jvir.2019.04.002. Epub 2019 Aug 10. PubMed PMID: 31409569.
*Dommaraju S, Siewert B, O’Bryan B; Swedeen S; Appel A, Nakhaei M, Camacho A, Brook OR. Impact of Pre-procedure Time-out Checklist for CT-guided Procedures on Workflow and Patient Safety. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2019 Nov/Dec; 43(6):892-897. doi: 10.1097/RCT.0000000000000940. PubMed PMID: 31738212.
*Nakhaei M, Mojtahedi A, Faintuch S, Sarwar A, Brook OR. Transradial and Transfemoral Uterine Fibroid Embolization Comparative Study: Technical and Clinical Outcomes. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2019 Nov 23. pii: S1051-0443(19)30704-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jvir.2019.08.016. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31771890.
*Appel E, Boos J, Fang J, Zhang D, Wilcox C, Camacho A, Dommaraju S, Brook A, Brook OR. Improvement of Radiation Dose Outliers through Systematic Analysis, CT Technologist Education, and Standardized System Solutions. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2020 Mar 11. doi: 10.1097/RCT.0000000000000985. Online ahead of print. PMID: 32168081
*Nakhaei M, Faintuch S, Brook OR. Impact of Evaluation in Interventional Radiology Clinic Prior to Uterine Artery Embolization: Changes in Management. Abdominal Radiology. Accepted for publication, December 2019.
*Dommaraju S, *Nakhaei M, Zhang D, *Camacho A, Boos J, Appel E, Brook OR. Single-Energy Retrospective Metal Artifact Reduction Using Adaptive Thresholding for Metal Implants in the Abdomen and Pelvis. 2020 Mar 25. doi: 10.1097/RCT.0000000000001013. Online ahead of print. PMID: 32217899
*Nakhaei M,* Mojtahedi A, Brook OR. Split Bolus CTA for Mesenteric Ischemia with a Single-Scan Opacifying Arterial and Mesenteric Venous Systems. Eur Radiol. 2020 Mar 10. doi: 10.1007/s00330-020-06769-x. Online ahead of print. PMID: 32157410
Appel E, Dommaraju S, Camacho A, Nakhaei M, Siewert B, Ahmed M, Brook A, Brook OR. Dependent Lesion Positioning at CT-guided Lung Biopsy to Reduce Risk of Pneumothorax. Eur Radiol. Accepted for publication, May 2020.
Johnson AEW, Pollard TJ, Berkowitz SJ, Greenbaum NR, Lungren MP, Deng CY, Mark RG, Horng S. MIMIC-CXR, a De-identified Publicly Available Database of Chest Radiographs with Free-Text Reports. Sci Data. 2019 Dec 12; 6(1):317. doi: 10.1038/s41597-019-0322-0.
Markezana A*, Ahmed M, Kumar G, Zorde-Khvalevsky E, Rozenblum N, Galun E, Goldberg SN. Moderate Hyperthermic Heating Encountered During Thermal Ablation Increases Tumor Cell Activity. IJH 2019 [in press]
Xu J, Cheng X, Tan L, Fu C, Ahmed M, Tian J, Dou J, Zhou Q, Meng X, Yu J, Liang P. Microwave Responsive Liposome Nanoplatform via P-selectin Mediated Delivery for Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Distant Metastasis. Nano Lett, 2019 [epub ahead of print].
Wu H, Fan ZP, Jiang AN, Di XS, He B, Wang S, Goldberg SN, Ahmed M, Zhang Q, Yang W. Combination of Intratumoral Micellar Paclitaxel with Radiofrequency Ablation: Efficacy and Toxicity in Rodents. Eur Radiol, 2019 [epub ahead of print].
Sarwar A, Park Y, Weinstein JL, Novak V, Chakrala N, Tapper EB, Malik R, Ahmed M. Causes and Rates of 30-day Readmissions after Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunts. AJR 2019. In Press.
Yu J, Wu H, Meng XW, Mu MJ, Dou JP, Ahmed M, Liang P. Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Microwave Ablation of Central Intraductal Papilloma: A Prospective Pilot Study. Int J Hyperthermia 2019; 36(1): 606-612. PMID 31179781.
Camacho A, Ahn EH, Appel E, Boos J, Nguyen Q, Justaniah A, Faintuch S, Ahmed M, Brook OR. Uterine Artery Embolization with Gelfoam for Acquired Symptomatic Uterine Arteriovenous Shunting Secondary to Gynecologic Procedures and Obstetric Events. JVIR. In Press.
Liao H, Ahmed M, Markezena A, He J, Galun E, Goldberg SN. Radiofrequency ablation induces time-dependent intrahepatic metastatic growth via the STAT3/c-Met molecular pathway. Radiology [accepted].
Erinjeri JP, Fine G, Adema GJ, Ahmed M, Chapiro J, den Brok M, Duran R, Johnson DT, Ricke J, Sze DY, Toskich BB, Wood BJ, Woodrum D, Goldberg SN. Immunotherapy and the Interventional Oncologist: Promises, Challenges, and Impact. A Society of Interventional Oncology White Paper. Radiology. Accepted for publication.
Bulman JC, Moussa M, Lewis TK, Berkowitz S, Sarwar A, Faintuch S, Ahmed M. Transitioning IR Clinic to TeleHealth: A Single-Center Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JVIR 2020. Accepted for publication.
Mechanic OJ, Kurtzman ND, Chiu DT, Nathanson LA, Berkowitz SJ. Point of Care Image Capture with a Custom Smartphone Application: Experience with an Encounter-Based Workflow. J Digit Imaging. 2019 doi: 10.1007/s10278-019-00231-1.
Kulkarni NM, Soloff EV, Tolat PP, Sangster GP, Fleming JB, Brook OR, Wang ZJ, Hecht EM, Zins M, Bhosale PR, Arif-Tiwari H, Mannelli L, Kambadakone AR, Tamm EP. White Paper on Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma from the Society of Abdominal Radiology's Disease-focused Panel for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Part I, AJCC Staging System, NCCN Guidelines, and Borderline Resectable Disease. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2019 Nov 21. doi: 10.1007/s00261-019-02289-5. [Epub ahead of print] Review. PubMed PMID: 31748823.
Kulkarni NM, Mannelli L, Zins M, Bhosale PR, Arif-Tiwari H, Brook OR, Hecht EM, Kastrinos F, Wang ZJ, Soloff EV, Tolat PP, Sangster G, Fleming J, Tamm EP, Kambadakone AR. White Paper on Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma from Society of Abdominal Radiology's Disease-focused Panel for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Part II, Update on Imaging Techniques and Screening of Pancreatic Cancer in High-risk Individuals. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2019 Nov 25. doi:10.1007/s00261-019-02290-y. [Epub ahead of print] Review. PubMed PMID: 31768594.
Brook OR. Patient-centered Radiology for the Thoracic Imager. J Thorac Imaging. 2020;35(2):71‐72. doi:10.1097/RTI.0000000000000471
*Shergill AK, Camacho A, Horowitz JM, Jha P, Ascher S, Berchmans E, Slama J, Nougaret S, Wasnik AP, Robbins JB, Dighe MK, Wang CL, Nimhuircheartaigh JM, Phillips J, Menias C, Brook OR; Uterine and Ovarian Cancer Disease Focused Panel of SAR. Imaging of Transgender patients: Expected Findings and Complications of Gender Reassignment Therapy. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2019 Aug;44(8):2886-2898. doi:10.1007/s00261-019-02061-9. Review. PubMed PMID: 31154481.
Fidler JL, Gunn ML, Soto JA, Brook OR, Allen BC, Guglielmo FF, Grand DJ, Gee MS, Wells ML, Huete A, Khandalwal A, Sokhandon F, Ramalingam V, Al-Hawary MM, LeBedis CA, Park SH. Society of Abdominal Radiology Gastrointestinal Bleeding Disease-focused Panel Consensus Recommendations for CTA Technical Parameters in the Evaluation of Acute Overt Gastrointestinal Bleeding. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2019 Sep; 44(9):2957-2962. doi: 10.1007/s00261-019-02131-y. PubMed PMID: 31346741.
Fananapazir G, Lubner M, Mendiratta-Lala M, Wildman-Tobriner B, Galgano S, Hinshaw L, Brook OR. Re-Organizing Cross-Sectional Interventional Procedures Practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Society of Abdominal Radiology Cross-Sectional Interventional Radiology Emerging Technology Commission Recommendations. AJR. Accepted for publication. April 2020.
Aamir Ali, Research Fellow, BIDMC, is a research advisor. He had an abstract featured at the 2020 Society of Interventional Oncology Annual Meeting and two first-author abstracts at the 2020 Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Meeting.
Lucas Daily, MD, Second-Year Radiology Resident, BIDMC, is a research advisor. He had a first-author abstract at the 2020 Society of Interventional Oncology Annual Meeting and has a first-author manuscript under preparation. He received a travel award/scholarship to the 2019 Society of Interventional Oncology Annual Meeting and delivered an oral presentation at the 2020 Society of Interventional Oncology Annual Meeting.
Damir Ljuboja, MD-MBA, Harvard Medical School/Harvard Business School, received multiple national awards for his work, including the 2019 SIR Foundation Dr. Constantine Cope Medical Student Research Award, the People’s Choice Award at the 2019 Society of Interventional Oncology Annual Meeting, and the 2019 RSNA Trainee Research Prize. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard Medical School in the Scholars in Medicine Program.
Neelabh Maheshwari, MD, Third-Year Radiology Resident, BIDMC, is a research advisor. He had a first-author abstract at the 2020 Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Meeting.
Alexander Schin, MD, Second-Year Medical Student, Tufts University School of Medicine, is a research advisor. He was first author on an abstract at the 2020 Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Meeting. He received the Harold Williams Summer Fellowship 2019 from Tufts University School of Medicine and presented his work at the university’s Annual Medical Student Research Day.
Matthew Shalvoy MD, Second-Year Radiology Resident, BIDMC, is a research advisor. He was first author on an abstract at the 2020 Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Meeting.
Michael Subrize, MD, Third-Year Radiology Resident, BIDMC, is a research advisor. He was first author on an abstract at the 2019 Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Meeting and first author on a manuscript under preparation. He received the Morris Simon Award for Innovation in 2019 and was awarded a scholarship to the Global Embolization Symposium and Technologies Meeting in 2019. He also wrote a departmental grant application.