Cardiothoracic Imaging Fellowship Curriculum

The Cardiothoracic Imaging Fellowship offers a balanced curriculum training fellows to become leaders within their field of study.

Dark-haired woman looks at blue-gray images from a CT scan on a computer screen, and blurred in the background is CT machine in another room The curriculum of the Cardiothoracic Imaging fellowship includes thoracic, cardiac, interventional and elective rotations as well as time for research and participation in interdisciplinary pulmonary and thoracic oncology conferences.

Excellent working relations are maintained with:

Pulmonary medicine
Cardiothoracic surgery
Hematology-oncology
Cardiology
Pathology

Technology and Equipment

The Cardiothoracic Imaging fellowship program has access to:

Nine fast reconstructing multi-detector computed tomography scanners
Seven state-of-the-art ultrasound units
Five MR imaging units
- 1.5T MR unit dedicated to cardiovascular imaging
Six remote control radiographic/fluoroscopic rooms
Special procedure rooms for:
- visceral arteriography
- digital subtraction angiography
- ultrasound
- interventional procedures

Overall Program Objectives

Train fellows to become experts in cardiothoracic imaging across multiple modalities (CT, MRI, X-ray, nuclear medicine, and ultrasound).
Foster skills in diagnosis, reporting, and clinical consultation with a focus on thoracic and cardiovascular diseases.
Encourage academic development through research, presentations, and teaching opportunities.
Promote multidisciplinary collaboration with pulmonology, cardiology, and oncology departments.

Core Clinical Competencies

Cardiovascular Imaging (30% Time Commitment)

CT and MRI: Coronary CT angiography, cardiac MRI (myocardial viability, cardiomyopathies, and congenital heart disease).
Ultrasound (elective): Advanced cardiac and vascular ultrasound, including transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).
Nuclear Cardiology (elective): Perfusion imaging (SPECT, PET), viability studies, hybrid imaging (PET/CT, PET/MRI).
Daily Practice:
- Perform and interpret cardiac CT and MRI.
- Multimodality cardiovascular imaging for congenital heart disease, cardiac tumors, and valvular disease.
- Understand protocols for cardiac MRI stress testing, delayed enhancement, and function studies.
- Interpret large datasets and reconstructive techniques.

Thoracic Imaging (40% Time Commitment)

Chest Radiography: Develop skills in diagnosing diseases such as pneumonia, pneumothorax, interstitial lung disease, and malignancies.
CT: High-resolution CT for interstitial lung disease, lung cancer staging, pulmonary embolism studies, and trauma imaging.
MRI: Thoracic MR imaging, including mediastinal and pleural pathologies, advanced lung cancer staging.
Daily Practice:
- Hands-on training in radiography, CT, and MRI with the supervision of experienced faculty.Multimodality cardiovascular imaging for congenital heart disease, cardiac tumors, and valvular disease.
- Multiplanar image reconstruction techniques in thoracic imaging.
- Lung cancer screening and staging with advanced CT protocols.

Specialized Imaging (20% Time Commitment)

Lung cancer screening: Specific focus on Lung cancer screening management
Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD): In-depth knowledge of ILD patterns, diagnostic dilemmas, and role of multidisciplinary ILD boards.
Lung Cancer: Imaging protocols and interpretation in lung cancer screening, staging, and post-treatment follow-up.

Research and Scholarly Activity (10% Time Commitment)

Research Training

Work on imaging-related research projects with guidance from faculty.
Focus on deep learning/machine learning applications in lung cancer, interstitial lung disease, and cardiomyopathies.
Monthly research progress meetings and mentorship for manuscript preparation.

Publications

Expected to submit at least one research paper for publication in peer-reviewed journals by the end of the fellowship.
Abstract submissions for national/international conferences like RSNA, STR, or ATS.

Teaching and Academic Contributions (5% Time Commitment)

Fellow Teaching Role

Lead daily case discussions with residents.
Prepare and present cases for the monthly journal club.
Teach medical students, residents, and fellows from other specialties (e.g., pulmonology, cardiology).

Mentorship Opportunities

Engage in mentoring radiology residents or junior fellows in research and clinical education.

Multidisciplinary Collaboration & Conferences (5% Time Commitment)

Weekly Case Conferences

Participate in case-based reviews and discussions on complex thoracic and cardiovascular imaging cases.
Co-manage cardiothoracic cases with cardiologists, pulmonologists, and oncologists in dedicated tumor boards, ILD conferences, and SBRT rounds.

Quarterly Multi-Institutional Conferences

Organize and participate in discussions with external institutions (Duke, UNC) on advanced thoracic/cardiac imaging.

Professional Development

Board Preparation

Prepare for the American Board of Radiology (ABR) certification in cardiothoracic radiology, if needed.
Mock board exams conducted every six months to assess progress.

Leadership Training

Develop leadership skills in global radiology education.

Evaluation and Feedback

Continuous Feedback:

360 Evaluations of fellow – January and June
Quarterly evaluations of fellow – July – September; October – December; January – March; April – June
Evaluation of Faculty and Program by the fellow twice in a year
Self-Assessment and Learning Plan (SALP) – October
Systems Based Learning Activity (SBL) – launch in April and due in June
Scholarly Activity – Launch in April and due in June

Optional Rotations (Optional 2 weeks)

Pediatric Thoracic Imaging: Exposure to pediatric chest diseases with focus on congenital heart disease.
Interventional Radiology: Optional rotation in thoracic interventional radiology, including biopsies, ablations, and catheter-based treatments.
Nuclear Medicine: Cardiac Imaging.

Program Duration and Rotational Structure

12 months, divided into focused monthly or bimonthly rotations:

Months 1-6: Core thoracic and cardiovascular imaging with increasing independence.
Months 7-9: Advanced imaging techniques, research, and interdisciplinary conferences.
Months 10-12: Finalize research projects, teaching, and leadership roles.

This curriculum fosters a well-rounded education in both clinical and academic cardiothoracic radiology, preparing fellows for careers in clinical practice, academia, and leadership.

Technology Transfer and Commercialization

Research Focus Areas

Translation to Care

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