About Us

Welcome to UCSF Imaging, blog of the UCSF Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging. UCSF has leading, world-renown radiologists who have the most in-depth experience in both complex and everyday diseases, research–based protocols and the very latest technology to be able to “see,” detect and diagnose abnormalities.

UCSF Imaging provides helpful perspective to patients and consumers as to what the latest news means to them, as well as latest insights into the safety and benefits of our advanced imaging techniques. We hope you enjoy this blog, and we welcome your comments and feedback!

Our Authors

A. James Barkovich, M.D.

Dr. A. James Barkovich, MD is a Professor in Residence in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and a Professor of Radiology, Pediatrics, Neurology, and Neurosurgery. Dr. Barkovich and his colleagues are interested in normal development of the brain and spine and in mechanism by which normal development is disturbed. His research has focused on the combination of embryology, genetics, and MRI to better understand alterations of neurological development in children. He studies prematurely born children, children with neurologic alterations in the neonatal period, and children who do not attain normal milestones of development during childhood. He and his colleagues have developed new tools such as MRI-compatible incubators and imaging coils that are built specifically for children in order to improve assessment of the brain.

Fergus V. Coakley, M.D.

Dr. Fergus Coakley is Vice Chair-clinical services, and Chief of the Abdominal Imaging section of the UCSF Medical Center’s radiology department. His interests include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the evaluation of prostate cancer, magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI), MRI assessment of fetal anomalies, advanced hepatobiliary imaging, computed tomography (CT) characterization of renal masses and virtual colonoscopy. Coakley earned a medical degree at National University of Ireland. He completed a medical residency in Dublin, Ireland, a radiology residency in Leicester, England, and a fellowship in body imaging at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Brett Elicker, M.D.

Dr. Brett Elicker, M.D. is a radiologist specializing in thoracic imaging with a particular interest in the imaging of diffuse lung diseases and the evaluation of coronary artery disease using CT. Dr. Elicker completed a residency in diagnostic radiology at Yale/New Haven hospital and a thoracic imaging fellowship at UCSF. He is currently one of the core thoracic radiologists and the chief of cardiopulmonary imaging at the University of California, San Francisco.

Robert Gould, Sc.D.

Dr. Robert Gould, Sc.D. is Professor and Vice Chair of Radiology for Technology and Capital Projects. He is a member of UCSF Campus Radiation Safety Committee and Radioactive Drug Research Committee. Additionally, Dr. Gould is a member of the Medical Center Radiation Protection Committee. By serving on these Committees, he has been involved in radiation safety issues within the Department of Radiology, the Medical Center and the UCSF Campus. Dr. Gould has been involved in efforts to monitor and minimize radiation exposure to personnel involved in the use and delivery of radiation in clinical and research environments and in efforts to monitor and minimize exposure to patients undergoing an imaging procedure. Dr. Gould is also the Director of the Laboratory of Radiologic Informatics, which is responsible for the department’s Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS).

Christopher P. Hess, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Christopher P. Hess, M.D., PH.D. is a Neuroradiology Chief at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and an Assistant Professor in Residence of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at UCSF. Dr. Hess’s primary research interests lie in using MRI to assess neurological diseases of primary or secondary neurodegeneration, including dementia (Alzheimer’s disease), movement disorders (Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonian syndromes), and epilepsy. Dr. Hess completed an internal medicine internship at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, and a radiology residency and neuroradiology fellowship at the University of California San Francisco.

Bonnie N. Joe, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Bonnie N. Joe is chief of Women’s Imaging in Radiology at UCSF Medical Center and co-leader of the Breast Research Interest Group in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at UCSF. Her areas of expertise include breast imaging (mammography, ultrasound, MRI), abdominal and pelvic MRI, and MR spectroscopy and perfusion. Dr. Joe earned a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, and a medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She completed a transitional year internship at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA.  She completed a residency in diagnostic radiology and a fellowship in body MRI at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University, St. Louis, MO.  She subsequently obtained additional breast imaging training at the University of California San Francisco.

Thomas M. Link, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Thomas M. Link, M.D., Ph.D. is Chief of the Musculoskeletal Imaging Section in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at UCSF. Dr. Link completed his radiology residency in Muenster, Germany. He performed a research fellowship at UCSF in 1996 and was a Visiting Associate Professor at UCSF from 1999-2001. Before joining the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging permanently in 2003 he was a Vice Chair at the Department of Radiology at the Technical University of Munich. Current interests include osteoarthritis and osteoporosis imaging using new technical modalities and post-processing algorithms, high field MRI and molecular imaging of the musculoskeletal system. Dr. Link’s professional expertise also focuses on musculoskeletal interventions, encompassing bone biopsies and radiofrequency ablation of bone tumors.

Sharmila Majumdar, Ph.D.

Dr. Sharmila Majumdar, Ph.D. is a UCSF Professor and the Vice Chair for Research in the Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and Orthopedic Surgery. She is Director of the Musculo-skeletal and Quantitative Imaging Research group (MQIR) at UCSF, an inter-disciplinary group consisting of faculty, post-doctoral scholars and students. She obtained her Ph.D. degree from Yale University in 1987 in Engineering and Applied Science, where she stayed as a post-doctoral researcher and Assistant Professor until 1989 when she joined UCSF. Her research work on imaging, particularly magnetic resonance and micro computed tomography, and development of image processing and analysis tools, has been focused in the areas of osteoporosis, osteo-arthritis and lower back pain. Her research is supported by grants from the NIH and corporate entities and is diverse ranging from technical development to clinical trials. She was selected as a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers in 2004, and a fellow of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine in 2008. In 2007, she was awarded the “Excellence in Direct Teaching and/or Excellence in Mentoring and Advising Award” by the UCSF Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators. She has published extensively in highly regarded journals such as Journal of Bone Mineral Research, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, etc. and serves as a reviewer and on the Editorial Board of scientific journals and is a recognized expert in the area of imaging.

Pratik Mukherjee, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Pratik Mukherjee, M.D., Ph.D. is an Attending Neuroradiologist and an Associate Professor of Radiology and Bioengineering. He currently serves as the principal investigator for a NIH research grant on Macrostructural & Microstructural Imaging Biomarkers of Traumatic Brain Injury and on a collaborative activity award from the McDonnell Foundation on Attentional Dynamics Consortium in Traumatic Brain Injury. Dr. Mukherjee is a member of the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences and an associate member of the UCB/ UCSF Division of Bioengineering. Dr. Mukherjee earned a Ph.D. in computational neuroscience from Rockefeller University and a medical degree from Cornell University. He completed a medical internship in the Cornell Medical Center at New York Hospital, and a radiology residency and neuroradiology fellowship at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University in St. Louis, MO

Carole E. Schreck is the Associate Chief Technologist for Nuclear Medicine and PET at the University of California at San Francisco. Ms. Schreck received her training as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist at UCSF in 1986, and her experience includes more than 25 years of clinical operations and research with 18 years in PET. Ms. Schreck’s primary clinical and research interests are in hybrid imaging and development of disease specific multimodality protocols. Certified by the Nuclear Medicine Technologist Certification Board as well as the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, Ms Schreck is also a member of the Society of Nuclear Medicine, Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologist Section, and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists.

Rebecca Smith-Bindman, M.D.

Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman, M.D., is a Professor in the Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. She directs the Radiology Outcomes Research Laboratory (RORL) and her research focuses primarily on ways to increase the benefits and minimize the harms of widely used screening and diagnostic imaging tests. A principal objective of the research is to provide rigorous evidence of the value of testing so that clinicians and health policy-makers can make informed recommendations to the public about when and how to use such tests.

Judy Yee, M.D.

Dr. Judy Yee, M.D. is Professor and Vice Chair of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco and Chief of Radiology at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Yee is an expert in the field of gastrointestinal radiology and is a pioneer in the field of CT Colonography. She is Chair of the Colon Cancer Committee of the American College of Radiology (ACR). She is the primary author of the new 2010 ACR Appropriateness Criteria for Colon Cancer Screening. She is on the Editorial Boards for Radiology, Radiographics and JCAT. She lectures nationally and internationally on topics in gastrointestinal Radiology.

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