Cynthia Chin, MD

Professor Emeritus
Prof of Clinical Radiology
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Biography

Cynthia Chin, MD, is Professor Emeritus of Clinical Radiology and Neurosurgery at the University of California, San Francisco, specializing in neuroradiology in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging. Dr. Chin introduced and developed CT-guided spine injections at UCSF. She is the Director of the UCSF Spinal Pain Management, and her interests include the spine and peripheral nervous system, magnetic resonance neurography, spinal injections, and spinal and nerve diffusion imaging. Dr. Chin received her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston in Massachusetts where she returned to complete a Radiology residency program. She completed an Internal Medicine internship at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. Dr. Chin advanced her training by completing a Neuroradiology fellowship from UCSF.

Throughout Dr. Chin's medical career, she has been the recipient of many distinguished awards. These include the 2007 and 2010 UCSF Medical Center Exceptional Physician Award nomination, 2010 America's Top Radiologists, Margulis Society Research Grant award, Tufts University School of Medicine Warren C. Widrich, MD Radiology Resident Award, and others. She is a member of many organizations including the American Roentgen Ray Society, American Society of Neuroradiology, and American Society of Spine Radiology. Dr. Chin is a peer reviewer for the American Journal of Neuroradiology, Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography, Muscle and Nerve, and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.

Dr. Chin continues to develop research in advanced imaging of the spine and nerves and the latest techniques in spine interventions for patient treatment. As a former member of the MRI Safety Committee and current member of the Radiation Safety Committee, Dr. Chin is dedicated to optimizing patient safety.

Expertise:
Neuroradiology

Specialty:
Spine and peripheral nerves

Professional Interests:
Spine, peripheral nerve, magnetic resonance neurography, spinal injections, spine diffusion imaging

Education and Training:
• Medical School: Tuffs University School of Medicine, Boston
• Internship: California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco - Internal Medicine
• Residency: Tuffs University New England Medical Center, Boston - Radiology
• Fellowship: University of California, San Francisco - Neuroradiology
• National Board of Medical Examiners
• American Board of Radiology
• Medical Board of California
• Medical Board of Ohio
• Certificate of Added Qualification, Neuroradiology
• New York State

Honors and Awards

Best Doctors in America 2013, 2013
Best Doctors in America 2011, 2011
First Place Mentor Research Award, American Society of Spine Radiology, 2011
America's Top Radiologists, 2010
Trainee Research Award, Radiological Society of North America, 2010
Exceptional Physician Award nominee, UCSF Medical Center, 2010
GH Wilson Award Best Paper, Western Neuroradiology Society, 2010
Exceptional Physician Award nominee, UCSF Medical Center, 2007
Margulis Society Research Award, UCSF, 2006
WC Widrich Radiology Resident Award, Tufts University School of Medicine, 1996
FJ Rigney Scholarship Intern of the Year, California Pacific Medical Center, 1992
1st place Basic Science Research Award, Tufts University School of Medicine, 1991
Honor Society, University of California, 1984

Publications

Baal JD, Yoon D, Patel RP, Chin CT, Shah VN. Advanced Imaging of the Peripheral Nerves, From the AJR "How We Do It" Special Series. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2024 Feb 14.
Bharadwaj UU, Chin CT, Majumdar S. Practical Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Spine Imaging: A Review. Radiol Clin North Am. 2024 Mar; 62(2):355-370.
Hess M, Allaire B, Gao KT, Tibrewala R, Inamdar G, Bharadwaj U, Chin C, Pedoia V, Bouxsein M, Anderson D, Majumdar S. Deep Learning for Multi-Tissue Segmentation and Fully Automatic Personalized Biomechanical Models from BACPAC Clinical Lumbar Spine MRI. Pain Med. 2023 08 04; 24(Suppl 1):S139-S148.
Sollmann N, Fields AJ, O'Neill C, Nardo L, Majumdar S, Chin CT, Tosun D, Han M, Vu AT, Ozhinsky E, Shah LM, Harris RE, Lobo R, Anderst W, Herzog R, Psioda MA, Standaert CJ, Price RT, Lotz JC, Link TM, Krug R. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine: Recommendations for Acquisition and Image Evaluation from the BACPAC Spine Imaging Working Group. Pain Med. 2023 08 04; 24(Suppl 1):S81-S94.
Han M, Bahroos E, Hess ME, Chin CT, Gao KT, Shin DD, Villanueva-Meyer JE, Link TM, Pedoia V, Majumdar S. Technology and Tool Development for BACPAC: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Accelerated Lumbar Spine MRI with Deep-Learning Based Image Reconstruction at 3T. Pain Med. 2023 08 04; 24(Suppl 1):S149-S159.
Liu J, Xie R, Chin CT, Rajagopalan P, Duan PG, Li B, Burch S, Berven SH, Mummaneni PV, Chou D. Comparison of Lumbosacral Fusion Grade in Patients after Transforaminal and Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion with Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up. Orthop Surg. 2023 Sep; 15(9):2334-2341.
Bharadwaj UU, Christine M, Li S, Chou D, Pedoia V, Link TM, Chin CT, Majumdar S. Deep learning for automated, interpretable classification of lumbar spinal stenosis and facet arthropathy from axial MRI. Eur Radiol. 2023 May; 33(5):3435-3443.
Bharadwaj UU, Varenika V, Carson W, Villanueva-Meyer J, Ammanuel S, Bucknor M, Robbins NM, Douglas V, Chin CT. Variant Sciatic Nerve Anatomy in Relation to the Piriformis Muscle on Magnetic Resonance Neurography: A Potential Etiology for Extraspinal Sciatica. Tomography. 2023 02 22; 9(2):475-484.
Gao KT, Tibrewala R, Hess M, Bharadwaj UU, Inamdar G, Link TM, Chin CT, Pedoia V, Majumdar S. Automatic detection and voxel-wise mapping of lumbar spine Modic changes with deep learning. JOR Spine. 2022 Jun; 5(2):e1204.
Iriondo C, Mehany S, Shah R, Bharadwaj U, Bahroos E, Chin C, Diab M, Pedoia V, Majumdar S. Institution-wide shape analysis of 3D spinal curvature and global alignment parameters. J Orthop Res. 2022 08; 40(8):1896-1908.
Shlobin NA, Shah VN, Chin CT, Dillon WP, Tan LA. Cerebrospinal Fluid-Venous Fistulas: A Systematic Review and Examination of Individual Patient Data. Neurosurgery. 2021 04 15; 88(5):931-941.
Safaee MM, Carrera DA, Chin CT, Mashhood A, Eisenmenger L, Liang NE, Lewis KM, Chou D, Ames CP, Weinstein PR. Diagnostic Challenges in Primary Sacral Tumors and the Yield of Computed Tomography-Guided Needle Biopsy in the Modern Era. World Neurosurg. 2020 06; 138:e806-e818.
Schirò S, Foreman SC, Bucknor M, Chin CT, Joseph GB, Link TM. Diagnostic Performance of CT-Guided Bone Biopsies in Patients with Suspected Osteomyelitis of the Appendicular and Axial Skeleton with a Focus on Clinical and Technical Factors Associated with Positive Microbiology Culture Results. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2020 Mar; 31(3):464-472.
Sloan EA, Sampognaro PJ, Junn JC, Chin C, Jacques L, Ramachandran PS, DeRisi JL, Wilson MR, Kriegstein AR, Bollen AW, Solomon DA, Margeta M, Engstrom JW. Neuroglial stem cell-derived inflammatory pseudotumor (n-SCIPT): clinicopathologic characterization of a novel lesion of the lumbosacral spinal cord and nerve roots following intrathecal allogeneic stem cell intervention. Acta Neuropathol. 2019 12; 138(6):1103-1106.
Beata Durcanova, Alvin Y. Chan, Joeseph A. Osorio, Cynthia Chin, Sean P. Ferris, Andrew W. Bollen, Line Jacques. Venous vascular malformations and compressive neuropathy. Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery. 2019 Jun 1; 16(J. Clin. Imaging Sci. 3 Suppl. 1 2013):113-116.
Morshed RA, Lee AT, Lee YM, Chin CT, Jacques L. Schwannomatosis of the Spinal Accessory Nerve: A Case Report. J Brachial Plex Peripher Nerve Inj. 2019 Jan; 14(1):e9-e13.
Talbott JF, Shah VN, Uzelac A, Narvid J, Dumont RA, Chin CT, Wilson DM. Imaging-Based Approach to Extradural Infections of the Spine. Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 2018 12; 39(6):570-586.
Dumont RA, Keen NN, Bloomer CW, Schwartz BS, Talbott J, Clark AJ, Wilson DM, Chin CT. Clinical Utility of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in Spinal Infections. Clin Neuroradiol. 2019 Sep; 29(3):515-522.
Bray DP, Chan AK, Chin CT, Jacques L. Large Cervical Vagus Nerve Tumor in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Treated with Gross Total Resection: Case Report and Review of the Literature. J Brachial Plex Peripher Nerve Inj. 2016; 11(1):e48-e54.
Safaee MM, Lyon R, Barbaro NM, Chou D, Mummaneni PV, Weinstein PR, Chin CT, Tihan T, Ames CP. Neurological outcomes and surgical complications in 221 spinal nerve sheath tumors. J Neurosurg Spine. 2017 Jan; 26(1):103-111.
Robbins NM, Shah V, Benedetti N, Talbott JF, Chin CT, Douglas VC. Magnetic resonance neurography in the diagnosis of neuropathies of the lumbosacral plexus: a pictorial review. Clin Imaging. 2016 Nov - Dec; 40(6):1118-1130.
Talbott JF, Narvid J, Chazen JL, Chin CT, Shah V. An Imaging-Based Approach to Spinal Cord Infection. Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 2016 Oct; 37(5):411-30.
Simon NG, Talbott J, Chin CT, Kliot M. Peripheral nerve imaging. Handb Clin Neurol. 2016; 136:811-26.
Potts MB, McGrath MH, Chin CT, Garcia RM, Weinstein PR. Microsurgical Fenestration and Paraspinal Muscle Pedicle Flaps for the Treatment of Symptomatic Sacral Tarlov Cysts. World Neurosurg. 2016 Feb; 86:233-42.
Magill ST, Brus-Ramer M, Weinstein PR, Chin CT, Jacques L. Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome: current diagnostic criteria and advances in MRI diagnostics. Neurosurg Focus. 2015 Sep; 39(3):E7.
Cage TA, Yuh EL, Hou SW, Birk H, Simon NG, Noss R, Rao A, Chin CT, Kliot M. Visualization of nerve fibers and their relationship to peripheral nerve tumors by diffusion tensor imaging. Neurosurg Focus. 2015 Sep; 39(3):E16.
Neufeld EA, Shen PY, Nidecker AE, Runner G, Bateni C, Tse G, Chin C. MR Imaging of the Lumbosacral Plexus: A Review of Techniques and Pathologies. J Neuroimaging. 2015 Sep-Oct; 25(5):691-703.
Fujimori T, Le H, Hu SS, Chin C, Pekmezci M, Schairer W, Tay BK, Hamasaki T, Yoshikawa H, Iwasaki M. Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the cervical spine in 3161 patients: a CT-based study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2015 Apr 01; 40(7):E394-403.
Simon NG, Narvid J, Cage T, Banerjee S, Ralph JW, Engstrom JW, Kliot M, Chin C. Visualizing axon regeneration after peripheral nerve injury with magnetic resonance tractography. Neurology. 2014 Oct 07; 83(15):1382-4.
Simon NG, Ralph JW, Poncelet AN, Engstrom JW, Chin C, Kliot M. A comparison of ultrasonographic and electrophysiologic 'inching' in ulnar neuropathy at the elbow. Clin Neurophysiol. 2015 Feb; 126(2):391-8.
Bucknor MD, Steinbach LS, Saloner D, Chin CT. Magnetic resonance neurography evaluation of chronic extraspinal sciatica after remote proximal hamstring injury: a preliminary retrospective analysis. J Neurosurg. 2014 Aug; 121(2):408-14.
Neil G. Simon, Jeffrey W. Ralph, Ann Poncelet, John W. Engstrom, Cynthia Chin, Michel Kliot. 5. Segmental changes in ulnar nerve ultrasound across the elbow and their pathophysiological significance in ulnar neuropathy. Clinical Neurophysiology. 2014 Apr 1; 125(4):e2.
Simon NG, Cage T, Narvid J, Noss R, Chin C, Kliot M. High-resolution ultrasonography and diffusion tensor tractography map normal nerve fascicles in relation to schwannoma tissue prior to resection. J Neurosurg. 2014 May; 120(5):1113-7.
Trattner S, Pearson GDN, Chin C, Cody DD, Gupta R, Hess CP, Kalra MK, Kofler JM, Krishnam MS, Einstein AJ. Standardization and optimization of CT protocols to achieve low dose. J Am Coll Radiol. 2014 Mar; 11(3):271-278.
Simon NG, Ralph JW, Chin C, Kliot M. Sonographic diagnosis of true neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome. Neurology. 2013 Nov 26; 81(22):1965.
Toossi S, Josephson SA, Hetts SW, Chin CT, Kralik S, Jun P, Douglas VC. Utility of MRI in spinal arteriovenous fistula. Neurology. 2012 Jul 03; 79(1):25-30.
Upadhyaya CD, Wu JC, Chin CT, Balamurali G, Mummaneni PV. Avoidance of wrong-level thoracic spine surgery: intraoperative localization with preoperative percutaneous fiducial screw placement. J Neurosurg Spine. 2012 Mar; 16(3):280-4.
Shepherd TM, Hess CP, Chin CT, Gould R, Dillon WP. Reducing patient radiation dose during CT-guided procedures: demonstration in spinal injections for pain. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2011 Nov-Dec; 32(10):1776-82.
Keen NN, Chin CT, Engstrom JW, Saloner D, Steinbach LS. Diagnosing ulnar neuropathy at the elbow using magnetic resonance neurography. Skeletal Radiol. 2012 Apr; 41(4):401-7.
Virayavanich W, Ringler MD, Chin CT, Baum T, Giaconi JC, O'Donnell RJ, Horvai AE, Jones KD, Link TM. CT-guided biopsy of bone and soft-tissue lesions: role of on-site immediate cytologic evaluation. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2011 Jul; 22(7):1024-30.
Zaharchuk G, Saritas EU, Andre JB, Chin CT, Rosenberg J, Brosnan TJ, Shankaranarayan A, Nishimura DG, Fischbein NJ. Reduced field-of-view diffusion imaging of the human spinal cord: comparison with conventional single-shot echo-planar imaging. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2011 May; 32(5):813-20.
Cynthia T. Chin. CHAPTER 22 Imaging Preparation for Surgery. Imaging of the Spine. 2011 Jan 1; 477-494.
Wang VY, Chou D, Chin C. Spine and spinal cord emergencies: vascular and infectious causes. Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 2010 Nov; 20(4):639-50.
Gelfand JM, Duncan JL, Racine CA, Gillum LA, Chin CT, Zhang Y, Zhang Q, Wong LJ, Roorda A, Green AJ. Heterogeneous patterns of tissue injury in NARP syndrome. J Neurol. 2011 Mar; 258(3):440-8.
Wang VY, Chin CT, Lu DC, Smith JS, Chou D. Free-hand thoracic pedicle screws placed by neurosurgery residents: a CT analysis. Eur Spine J. 2010 May; 19(5):821-7.
Du R, Auguste KI, Chin CT, Engstrom JW, Weinstein PR. Magnetic resonance neurography for the evaluation of peripheral nerve, brachial plexus, and nerve root disorders. J Neurosurg. 2010 Feb; 112(2):362-71.
Cynthia T. Chin. Magnetic Resonance Neurography. Nerve and Vascular Injuries in Sports Medicine. 2009 Jan 1; 27-39.
Sahgal A, Ames C, Chou D, Ma L, Huang K, Xu W, Chin C, Weinberg V, Chuang C, Weinstein P, Larson DA. Stereotactic body radiotherapy is effective salvage therapy for patients with prior radiation of spinal metastases. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2009 Jul 01; 74(3):723-31.
Nicastri DG, Wisnivesky JP, Litle VR, Yun J, Chin C, Dembitzer FR, Swanson SJ. Thoracoscopic lobectomy: report on safety, discharge independence, pain, and chemotherapy tolerance. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2008 Mar; 135(3):642-7.
Conor W. O'Neill, John Carrino, Cynthia Chin. CHAPTER 84 Percutaneous Discectomy. . 2008 Jan 1; 923-926.
Acosta FL, Sanai N, Chi JH, Dowd CF, Chin C, Tihan T, Chou D, Weinstein PR, Ames CP. Comprehensive management of symptomatic and aggressive vertebral hemangiomas. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2008 Jan; 19(1):17-29.
Smith AB, Gupta N, Strober J, Chin C. Magnetic resonance neurography in children with birth-related brachial plexus injury. Pediatr Radiol. 2008 Feb; 38(2):159-63.
A. Sahgal, D. Chou, C. Ames, L. Ma, C. Chuang, K. Lamborn, K. Huang, C.T. Chin, P. Weinstein, D. Larson. Proximity of Spinous/Paraspinous Radiosurgery Metastatic Targets to the Spinal Cord Versus Risk of Local Failure. International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics. 2007 Nov 1; 69(3):s243.
Nguyen K, Chin C, Lee DS, Mittnacht A, Srivastava S, Umesh J, Walker S, Adams D. The axillary incision: a cosmetic approach in congenital cardiac surgery. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2007 Nov; 134(5):1358-60.
Liao YJ, Dillon WP, Chin CT, McDermott MW, Horton JC. Intracranial hypotension caused by leakage of cerebrospinal fluid from the thecal sac after lumboperitoneal shunt placement. Case report. J Neurosurg. 2007 Jul; 107(1):173-7.
Chou D, Smith JS, Chin CT. Spontaneous regression of a discal cyst. Case report. J Neurosurg Spine. 2007 Jan; 6(1):81-4.
Lewis AM, Layzer R, Engstrom JW, Barbaro NM, Chin CT. Magnetic resonance neurography in extraspinal sciatica. Arch Neurol. 2006 Oct; 63(10):1469-72.
Auguste KI, Chin C, Acosta FL, Ames CP. Expandable cylindrical cages in the cervical spine: a review of 22 cases. J Neurosurg Spine. 2006 Apr; 4(4):285-91.
Acosta FL, Dowd CF, Chin C, Tihan T, Ames CP, Weinstein PR. Current treatment strategies and outcomes in the management of symptomatic vertebral hemangiomas. Neurosurgery. 2006 Feb; 58(2):287-95; discussion 287-95.
Okuda DT, Chyung AS, Chin CT, Waubant E. Acute pathological laughter. Mov Disord. 2005 Oct; 20(10):1389-90.
Acosta FL, Quinones-Hinojosa A, Gadkary CA, Schmidt MH, Chin CT, Ames CP, Rosenberg WS, Weinstein P. Frameless stereotactic image-guided C1-C2 transarticular screw fixation for atlantoaxial instability: review of 20 patients. J Spinal Disord Tech. 2005 Oct; 18(5):385-91.
Frank Acosta, Samantha Piper, Cynthia Chin, Philip Weinstein. P65. Clinical and radiographic outcomes as a function of number of levels decompressed with laminotomy for patients with acquired lumbar stenosis. The Spine Journal. 2005 Jul 1; 5(4):s140.
Acosta FL, Chin CT, Quiñones-Hinojosa A, Ames CP, Weinstein PR, Chou D. Diagnosis and management of adult pyogenic osteomyelitis of the cervical spine. Neurosurg Focus. 2004 Dec 15; 17(6):E2.
O'Neill CW, Liu JJ, Leibenberg E, Hu SS, Deviren V, Tay BK, Chin CT, Lotz JC. Percutaneous plasma decompression alters cytokine expression in injured porcine intervertebral discs. Spine J. 2004 Jan-Feb; 4(1):88-98.
Mohr DC, Epstein L, Luks TL, Goodkin D, Cox D, Goldberg A, Chin C, Nelson S. Brain lesion volume and neuropsychological function predict efficacy of treatment for depression in multiple sclerosis. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2003 Dec; 71(6):1017-24.
Chin CT. Spine imaging. Semin Neurol. 2002 Jun; 22(2):205-20.
Cynthia T. Chin, Susan Chang, William P. Dillon. Chapter 11 Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors. Oncologic Imaging. 2002 Jan 1; 133-159.
Wu YW, Chin CT, Chan KM, Barkovich AJ, Ferriero DM. Pediatric Chiari I malformations: do clinical and radiologic features correlate? Neurology. 1999 Oct 12; 53(6):1271-6.
Bonawitz C, Castillo M, Chin CT, Mukherji SK, Barkovich AJ. Usefulness of contrast material in MR of patients with neurofibromatosis type 1. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1998 Mar; 19(3):541-6.
Oates E, Selland DL, Chin CT, Achong DM. Gallbladder nonvisualization with pericholecystic rim sign: morphine-augmentation optimizes diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. J Nucl Med. 1996 Feb; 37(2):267-9.
Chin CT, Sarno RC. Images in clinical medicine. Corticosteroid osteonecrosis. N Engl J Med. 1995 Feb 23; 332(8):511.