Vickie Feldstein, MD Recognized as an Outstanding Alumna
June is Alumni Month at UC San Francisco. This year, the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging recognized Vickie Feldstein, MD, professor of clinical radiology, as the 2020 recipient of our Outstanding Alumni Award. Each June, this award is presented to a graduate of the radiology residency program who has achieved a high level of professional accomplishment while providing outstanding service to the field of radiology through their leadership.
In her remarks at the award presentation, Liina Poder, MD, director of Ultrasound, commented that “Dr. Feldstein is an incredible mentor, a highly valued colleague, and a most devoted patient’s advocate who is well known at UCSF. Her dedication to teaching and quality of care are simply inspirational.”
Dr. Feldstein completed her residency in radiology at UCSF and was chief resident in 1991, when she received the department’s Elmer Ng Award for Outstanding Resident. She followed this with a UCSF fellowship, before joining the faculty at UCSF Radiology and Biomedical Imaging.
She is an expert in many applications of diagnostic ultrasound and the use of Doppler techniques to analyze blood flow. Dr. Feldstein’s focus has been the study of complicated twin pregnancies and she has used Doppler ultrasound techniques to explore the etiology and pathophysiology of complicated monochorionic (single placenta) twin pregnancies.
Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) is a serious, progressive disorder treated by the UCSF Fetal Treatment Center. Because there is no barrier separating the two fetuses from each other, there are almost always blood vessel connections in the placenta shared by two fetuses in monochorionic twin (MC) pregnancies. As a result of these connections, in about 10-15% of monochorionic twins (sharing one placenta) an imbalance in the circulations of the fetuses can develop. In these instances, there may be significant transfer of blood from one twin (the so-called “donor”) to the other twin (the so-called “recipient”), resulting in twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).
Careful obstetric ultrasound is crucial for correctly detecting and diagnosing TTTS during pregnancy. To further evaluate the severity of TTTS, fetal echocardiography, specialized, targeted ultrasound studies of the heart, are often performed. All of the echocardiogram and ultrasound exam findings are considered in determining the severity of TTTS for each individual pregnancy.
Dr. Feldstein was instrumental in starting a new program in 2012 at the UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay dedicated to the care of twin pregnancies. She is a part of the multidisciplinary team of experts who comprise the UCSF Fetal Treatment Center, the only California hospital to offer a specialized clinic dedicated to long-term follow-up care for children with complex birth defects.
Throughout her career, Dr. Feldstein has investigated, lectured and written widely on ways to use ultrasound to safely and effectively guide needle procedures as well as studying ultrasound findings noted in the prenatal evaluation of fetuses with anomalies. She is a longstanding member of the Society for Radiologists in Ultrasound. She has written over 62 published articles and 10 book chapters. In addition, Dr. Feldstein was co-editor of Callen’s Ultrasonography in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Feldstein’s “expert knowledge is not limited to imaging.” said Dr. Poder. “She is passionate about art and culture and enjoys sharing her experiences as well as wealth of knowledge with her family, friends and UCSF community."
UCSF Radiology outstanding alumni promote the culture of the department through collaboration, professionalism and excellence. We are proud of our extensive and outstanding alumni network.