RADIOLOGY ASSOCIATES OF BIRMINGHAM

MUSCULOSKELETAL IMAGING FELLOWSHIP

We are combining our MSK Imaging Fellowship with the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Please contact UAB with inquiries into the combined fellowship for 2011-12.

 

Dianne Wideman

Department of Radiology

The University of Alabama at Birmingham

619 19th Street South

Birmingham, AL 35249-6830

Phone: 205.934.3108

dwideman@uabmc.edu

 

 

UAB MSK Fellowship web page

Radiology Associates of Birmingham (RAB) offers a one-year fellowship in Musculoskeletal (MSK) Imaging. RAB is a private radiology group that covers two large hospitals and several imaging centers in the Birmingham, AL area. The group provides radiology coverage to several prominent orthopedic and sports medicine practices in the Birmingham area. These relationships give RAB the opportunity to provide imaging services to high school, collegiate, and professional athletes. The MSK radiologists work closely with the American Sports Medicine Institute which offers orthopedic, primary care sports medicine, and orthopedic foot and ankle fellowships. 

St. Vincent's Birmingham -- North Tower                   St. Vincent's Birmingham -- South Tower

St. Vincent's Birmingham -- OrthoSports Center

The MSK Imaging fellowship is based primarily at the St. Vincent's Birmingham hospital campus. Facilities at St. Vincent's are top-notch including a 3.0T MRI unit and a new 64-slice CT scanner. While all aspects of musculoskeletal imaging are encountered in the program, the emphasis is on MRI and MR arthrography. There are currently 5 MR units on campus. Construction of a new Musculoskeletal Institute is scheduled to be complete in the fall of 2008. This building will house an additional 3.0T magnet. In addition, the MSK radiologists also cover Brookwood Medical Center (BMC) located in the Birmingham suburb of Homewood. Brookwood has 3 additional MR units. RAB also provides teleradiology interpretation for 2 additional local MR units. The volume of MSK MR studies is roughly 20-40 per day. The number of arthrograms/joint injections ranges from 5-15 per day. In addition to the numerous MR studies, there is a good volume of muculoskeletal CT and scintigraphy. Image-guided biopsies and procedures are also performed. There is an additional optional opportunity to receive training from RAB's neuroradiologists in spine MR and interventional procedures such as nerve root blocks, epidural injections, and vertebroplasty.

Brookwood Medical Center

RAB has four musculoskeletal radiologists: Marty Schwartz, MD; Dean Thornton, MD; Trevor Lundstrom, MD; and Shane Wear, MD. While functioning as private practice radiologists, the MSK radiologists maintain an academic atmosphere. The MSK radiologists participate in a monthly interdisciplinary conference with the ASMI orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine physicians and fellows. They also give a series of lectures to the fellows throughout the year. Two of the MSK radiologists have clinical appointments at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Dr. Schwartz is a Clinical Professor of Radiology; Dr. Thornton is a Clinical Associate Professor of Radiology. At UAB, the MSK radiologists give noon conference lectures and senior resident board reviews. Drs. Schwartz and Thornton have recently completed a chapter entitled "Diagnostic Imaging of the Shoulder Complex" in the upcoming revision of the textbook The Athlete's Shoulder. Drs. Schwartz, Thornton, and Larrison (the 2006-7 fellow) have recently had a paper published in AJR entitled "Avulsion of the medial epicondyle after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction: imaging of a rare throwing injury." (AJR 2008 Mar;190(3):595-8). Participation in research is optional but encouraged.

Please follow the links below for more detailed information regarding the MSK Imaging Fellowship.

MSK Radiologist Bios

MSK Radiologist Publications

MSK Fellow Responsibilities and Duties

RAB Fellowship Director:

D. Dean Thornton, MD

2090 Columbiana Road

Suite 4400

Birmingham, AL 35216

205-278-8599 (fax)

deanthornton@yahoo.com