The Department of Diagnostic, Molecular, and Interventional Radiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai actively engages in imaging research and development, collaborating across disciplines to push the boundaries of what is currently possible. From partnering with experts in neuroscience, to those in cardiology and hepatology, we are dedicated to advancing scientific investigation to improve patient prevention and diagnosis.
Many of our research efforts take place within the Department’s advanced imaging facility, the Mount Sinai BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute. Directed by Zahi A. Fayad, PhD, the Institute’s primary goal is to develop unique approaches to biomedical sciences and therapeutic interventions by bridging basic and translational investigative efforts.
Our multidisciplinary approach also leads us to continually partner with our colleagues from:
- Neuroscience, to improve our understanding of neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, brain tumors, and various psychiatric disorders.
- Cardiology, to predict the risk associated with atherosclerotic plaques and assess new therapies for aortic and cerebral artery aneurysms.
- Hepatology, to develop optimal therapeutic strategies for liver diseases.
As one example of this process, our department recently developed a noninvasive form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose heart disease and atherosclerosis, thereby allowing clinicians to identify patients who are at the greatest risk for heart attack and stroke. This technique, called the black-blood MRI, causes blood to appear dark, while vessel walls appear bright. This advance enables our cardiologists to identify thickening of the artery wall—an indication of otherwise undetectable plaques.