Precision Imaging Improves Patient Care

Fast-moving innovations in radiology allow more precision for diagnosis, treatment, disease management, and patient safety. That's why Christopher Hess, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at UCSF ishighly invested in both innovation and patient care as he explores ways to apply the latest radiology discoveries to treatment.

Radiology may become safer with meaningful innovations, such as reduced radiation dose with CT. When tools become more precise, they also become easier to individualize to each patient. Multimodality approaches like simultaneous MRI-PET add useful data for the patient, and hold especially high promise for understanding anatomic and functional imaging of the brain and other body systems. As for pain management, radiology tools can be used for reducing pain by guiding the injection of steroids or anesthetics to the precise point of discomfort. That can reduce the need for opioid pain relievers, which have significant side effects, including addiction.

UCSF Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging has cultivated the knowledge, skills, and highly focused talents of an extraordinary team of clinicians, researchers, and teachers. Each doctor is a seasoned expert, thoughtful scientist, and caring professional – as well as a specialist in multiple fields of innovative medical practices.