Radiology Services

Radiology uses various technologies to create images of the body, its organs, and its structures that help physicians diagnose and treat injury and disease. These technologies include radioactive substances, electromagnetic radiation, and sound waves. Radiologists are physicians who read and interpret radiology images and other medical tests and report the results to other health care professionals to help them rule out or more accurately treat medical conditions. Radiology includes diagnostic tests such as X-rays to look at broken bones, PET scans to see tumors or changes in the brain, ultrasounds for guiding biopsies, MRIs to show spine lesions, and mammograms to screen for breast cancer. Radiation therapy can be used to treat cancer or fibroid tumors, and radiology can even deliver chemotherapy and other agents directly to the tumor’s blood supply. Radiology is used to perform certain innovative procedures designed to treat peripheral arterial, venous, urologic, and hepatobiliary diseases. Procedures usually are performed on an outpatient basis, sometimes under local anesthesia with intravenous sedation.

Interventional radiology is a specialty within radiology that has become an integral part of comprehensive patient care, providing less invasive techniques for diagnosing and treating a range of health problems. The field has evolved rapidly over the past 25 years to include the management of tumors and to provide therapeutic options to patients who are not able to undergo more traditional surgical procedures for their condition.

Why UAB

The diagnostic and therapeutic services provided by UAB Radiology play an important role in the comprehensive care delivered at UAB, and Radiology works with every department within UAB Medicine. Our radiology and interventional radiology physicians are national leaders in their field and widely published in peer-reviewed journals and textbooks. They are actively involved in testing and teaching for new techniques and equipment, and they partner with your other physicians to deliver care. UAB Radiology team members are committed to safety and use the American College of Radiology guidelines for dosage and safety procedures. UAB Interventional Radiology's new ambulatory clinic – located within The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital – provides patients with enhanced pre-procedure evaluations, follow-up services, and more comprehensive care for complex conditions.

As part of a leading academic medical center, UAB Radiology oversees or participates in clinical trials that may provide new opportunities for low-dose drugs, more effective tests, and other new techniques and treatments that are not available elsewhere in the area. The extensive experience and expertise of our radiologists and technologists help ensure that the most accurate and in-depth testing is used in evaluating and treating your condition. We use the latest interventional devices and most advanced imaging techniques, including fluoroscopy, ultrasound, sonogram, and CT (computed tomography) scans. We perform an average of 7,600 CT scans and 3,600 sonograms each month, all while making your comfort and convenience our top priority. Our efficient, attentive staff and the availability of multiple imaging units will help your radiology visit go smoothly.

As a large teaching hospital, UAB Medicine is on the forefront of imaging equipment, and we frequently play a role in improving traditional and emerging imaging technologies, including some designed to reduce radiation exposure during tests. One example is the GE Healthcare CT 750 HD CT scanner, which is used at the UAB Radiology clinic to obtain high-definition images while reducing patients’ radiation exposure.

PHYSICIANS

John V. Thomas, MD

Ahmed M. Kamel Abdel Aal, MD, MSc, PhD

Janis P. O'Malley, MD

Jon A. Baldwin, DO

Wanda K. Bernreuter, MD

Pradeep G. Bhambhvani, MD

Cheri L. Canon, MD

Philip R. Chapman, MD

Joel K. Cure, MD

Eva V. Dubovsky, MD, PhD

CLINICAL TRIALS

UAB is an active participant in research and clinical trials for Radiology. We encourage you to speak to your physician about research and clinical trial options and browse the link below for more information.

View Clinical Trials