Our techniques at UCSF Imaging are helping tens of thousands of patients around the world with cancer by identifying more aggressive cancers determing whether a treatment is working. The goal is to improve our understanding of what causes diseases and then come up with new ways to treat cancers. We have developed biomarkers that enable us to confirm that we've delivered a drug to the tumor. There is very interesting biology coming out that is telling us what is driving these tumors and how they might be targeted in a very specific way.
Sharmila Majumdar, PhD, Vice Chair of Research and Director of Musculoskeletal Quantitative Imaging Research, talks about her lab's research on joint degeneration and how to reduce join replacement for lower back pain. Dr. Sharmila Majmudar discusses her research with her lower back pain and what causes such pain. By finding the causes of the pain her teams goal is to reduce the number of joint replacements by using imaging to find identifiers of joint degeneration. Which could inform the physician about the status of the joints.
Dr. Christine Glastonbury, MD, Professor of Clinical Radiology, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, and Radiology Oncology at UCSF, works to improve the care of head and neck cancer in patients. She also works to prevent radiology errors during diagnosis.
UCSF Radiologist Dr. Chin explains how the coccyx can be a source of back pain and what the treatment options are.
Coccyx is vestigial tail bone that can be vulnerable to trauma, as seen in fractures during childbirth and with repetitive trauma to truck drivers or equestrians. Also, seen in patients who like winter sports (snowboarding or skiing).
UCSF Radiologist Dr. Chin explains how to diagnose back pain caused by a Tarlov Cysts.
Tarlov Cysts are probably incidental since 5-9% patients may have Tarlov cysts. How do we know it? Is it symptomatic or not?
The cysts can be addressed surgically because they can be fenestrated, oversewn, and collapsed with flap which is helpful and can eradicate the cysts that are symptomatic.
UCSF Radiologist Dr. Chin goes over body areas that previously would have not been considered cause of back pain and that could be used for treatment.
Patients that come in which intractable pain that’s quite debilitating in. It is the cranial and caudal aspect of the spine. They have headache and they can’t sit due to pain. Where is the pain coming from?
