The curriculum for the Neuroradiology Fellowship is designed to provide fellows with extensive hands-on training in a wide range of advanced clinical procedures.

An average of nearly 50,000 exams are performed each year in the Neuroradiology Section of the Department of Radiology at Wake Forest School of Medicine. Our faculty provides one-on-one education and support allowing fellows the opportunity to master all aspects of interpretation and procedures.

Virtual Tour

Depending on your rotation, you may train at facilities across our system. Explore below a few of the spaces where fellows of this program spend a lot of their time. Navigate the drop-down to switch rooms and use your mouse (or finger for touch screens) to rotate around the room.

MRI Reading RoomSnap Content

Clinical Rotations

The fellowship contains a mixture of clinical and procedure-oriented experiences. The rotations are in two-week blocks for a total of:

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - three months
  • Computerized tomography (CT) - three months
  • CT/Procedure – three months
  • MRI/CT – two months
  • Research or electives - one month

Workload (Annual Figures)

  • Neuro CT: 33,000 cases
  • Neuro MR: 16,000 cases
  • Lumbar punctures: 700 cases
  • Cerebral angiography/neurointerventional: 550 cases
  • Myelography: 100 cases
  • Head and neck biopsies: 100 cases
  • Spine intervention: 100 cases 

Research Opportunities

Research is supported throughout the fellowship. We have a wide spectrum of research involving basic science, clinical research as well as educational research for those interested in participating. Funding is provided for fellows to present research and educational material at national meetings.

Samples of some current research efforts:

  • Machine-based learning to identify MRI relationships distinguishing Alzheimer’s disease from mild cognitive impairment
  • Evaluating cerebrovascular disease and cognitive functioning in diabetic patients
  • Structural changes in the lumbar spine following radiofrequency neuroablation
  • Collaborative studies with the School of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Tech and Department of Neurosurgery evaluating traumatic brain injury (TBI) in youth and collegiate football athletes
  • The effects of music on brain networks
  • Brain networks in healthy aging (resistance vs. aerobic training)
  • The effect of pesticides on children of Hispanic migrant farm workers
  • Follow-up of incidentally found lung nodules
  • Role of perfusion in evaluating gamma knife treated brain metastases

Conferences and Didactics

Interdisciplinary and proven conferences are held regularly, and the fellow will be responsible for presenting at weekly fellow and didactic conferences. Initially, all work is supervised by the faculty, with a transition to more independent function expected throughout the fellowship.

We have regularly scheduled didactic lectures and journal club throughout the year led by faculty members from the neuroradiology section. 

Interdepartmental conferences are scheduled with neurology, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, and radiation oncology. Designed to meet both clinical and educational needs, these conferences provide an excellent forum for communication between radiology and other departments.