Radiology and Imaging Sciences
Clinical Research
Advancing the field of radiology through high-impact clinical research
The Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at the College of Medicine – Tucson conducts clinical research across the full spectrum of diagnostic and interventional imaging, with particular strength in MRI, molecular imaging, radiopharmaceutical therapy and image-guided intervention.
Our faculty investigate new imaging agents, refine diagnostic protocols and evaluate minimally invasive therapeutic approaches — with the shared goal of translating evidence directly into improved patient care at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and for the broader populations we serve. Our active, faculty-led research portfolio spans nuclear medicine and theranostics, abdominal imaging, musculoskeletal radiology, and vascular and interventional radiology. Studies range from retrospective outcomes analyses and imaging protocol development to prospective multicenter trials and first-in-region clinical applications of novel radiopharmaceuticals.
Trainees and faculty engage with this work at every level — from IRB submission and patient enrollment through data analysis and publication. For faculty seeking a practice environment with built-in research infrastructure and an institutional commitment to evidence-based imaging, the department offers established pathways from clinical question to funded investigation.
Our dedicated clinical research coordinator/research manager strengthens the department’s research infrastructure by creating a more structured, collaborative environment that unites clinicians and PhD researchers across disciplines. This role enhances operational support, streamlines study processes and expands opportunities for trainee engagement in imaging‑driven clinical research.
Contact Kym Smith for additional information.
Kym Smith
Our Clinical Researchers
Bital Savir-Baruch, MD, MBA, FACNM
Clinical Specialties
ID: STUDY00002715
DESCRIPTION
Summary of Retrospective Protocol
- Retrospective chart review to identify participants that fulfill inclusion and exclusion criteria
- No consent needed
- All information is obtained from chart review
- Prospective portion of study
Summary of Prospective Protocol
- Participants are prospectively identified who fulfill inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria
- Informed consent is obtained
- Scan consent and upload into UA Box Health
- Fill out REDCap via EMR and/or via patient interview (not specified in IRB)
- Document side effects after each dose of either Lutathera or Pluvicto. There is no specific method detailed in IRB of how to collect this data, can either be done same day of therapy for previous cycle, or may call patients a few days after cycle and ask them about side effects
STATUS: Approved
ID: STUDY00001670
DESCRIPTION
Primary Objectives
- Evaluate the performance/positivity rate of 18F-rhPSMA-7.3 in patients with negative, equivocal or overlapping intense bladder uptake over the prostate gland/bed 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT or 68Ga-PSMA 11.
Secondary Objectives
- A head-to-head comparison of the positivity rate of lesions in the prostate and extraprostatic lesions.
- A head-to-head comparison of bladder uptake and tumor to bladder ratios between 18F-DCFPy/ 68Ga-PSMA 11and Rh PSMA
- Among the positive 18F-rhPSMA-7.3 for local disease, evaluate added benefit to localizing the area of disease on a negative/equivocal 18F-DCFPyL PSMA/ 68Ga-PSMA 11PET/CT scan.
STATUS: Approved
ID: STUDY00003150
DESCRIPTION: This is a single-arm 20-subject pilot clinical trial utilizing 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT scan prior to treatment for brain metastatic lesion(s). Patients with recently diagnosed brain metastatic lesion(s) will be recruited based on MRI with or without histological confirmation, per standard of care. All patients will undergo an 18F-fluciclovine head PET/CT scan. The study will characterize uptake dynamic PET images over 60 minutes. Uptake within the lesions and the benign brain parenchyma will be plotted on a time activity curve for 60 mins. We hypothesize that uptake will be above benign brain parenchyma. The 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT will serve as a baseline PET/CT scan.
STATUS: Approved
ID: STUDY00007777
DESCRIPTION: Amyloid PET scans help doctors determine whether memory problems are related to Alzheimer’s disease and are increasingly used in patient care. In the past, scans were read simply as positive or negative, which is easy but can miss early or low levels of amyloid buildup. Newer approaches use a standardized measure called the Centiloid scale to more precisely quantify amyloid levels, allowing earlier detection and better comparison across scans. This aligns with the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease as a gradual biological process. With the approval of amyloid-targeting Alzheimer’s treatments, amyloid PET scans are now used not only for diagnosis but also to decide who is eligible for therapy and to monitor treatment response.
STATUS: Approved
Hina Arif-Tiwari, MD, FSAR
Clinical Specialties
ID: 1907841498
DESCRIPTION: This study will help establish accurate diagnosis of choledochat cysts using magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) as a more sensitive and more specific tool in distinguishing different types of choledochal cysts malformations and early detection of cyst complications. This study will manifest the power of MRI and MRCP for preoperative planning to delineate anatomy and exclude malignant transformation.
STATUS: Active
ID: 2007822011
DESCRIPTION: This study will help establish accurate diagnosis of primary peritoneal serous carcinoma for clinical decision making and to exclude intra-abdominal primary lesions using MRI as a highly sensitive and specific tool.
STATUS: Active
ID: 1906707061
DESCRIPTION: We will review the accuracy of imaging (US, CT, MRI) in all patients with ovarian torsion and compare imaging findings with the patients’ outcomes.
STATUS: Active
ID: 1906706773
DESCRIPTION: Review MRI imaging findings of patients with serous peritoneal tumors, to correlate patient outcome with MR diagnosis.
STATUS: Active
ID: STUDY00002949
DESCRIPTION: We are conducting a program evaluation of a new program designed to support women faculty in the College of Medicine – Tucson to promote retention and develop leaders.
STATUS: Active
Artyom Abramyan, DO
Clinical Specialties
ID: STUDY00006683
DESCRIPTION: When patients develop a liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) they often have a number of treatment options. It is difficult for physicians and patients to know which treatment is best. The goal of this study is to compare three different treatment options (TARE, MWA and CA) in a subset of HCC patients who have relative limited disease.
STATUS: Active
Tyson Chadaz, MD
Clinical Specialties
ID: STUDY00000984
DESCRIPTION: Diabetic foot infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and diagnostic accuracy is key to providing long-term treatment of this disease. Although the standard of diagnostic care is to perform a contrast-enhanced MRI examination, there may be significant risk involved with the administration of contrast. If we can show that non-contrast MRI with diffusion weighted imaging is as accurate as contrast-enhanced MRI, we will show that it may be unnecessary to give contrast to evaluate diabetic foot infections in a large number of cases, especially in those patients with poor renal function that may increase the unwanted effects of gadolinium-based contrast.
STATUS: Approved
Daniel Goldberg, MD
ID: STUDY00006575
DESCRIPTION: When patients develop certain types of abdominal or pelvic pain, such that frequently occurs in abdominal or pelvic cancer patients, they are often offered a procedure to reduce their pain. This procedure, called cryoneurolysis, treats a nerve and blocks the pain signal from reaching the brain. Currently, there is limited data available on the outcomes and side effects of this type of ablation. That is the goal of this retrospective review.
STATUS: Active
ID: STUDY00005344
DESCRIPTION: N/A
STATUS: Case Report
Jack Hannallah, MD, MPH, MBA
Clinical Specialties
ID: STUDY00003035
DESCRIPTION: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the MOTIV scaffold for the treatment of infrapopliteal lesions in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) by randomized comparison with standard balloon angioplasty.
STATUS: Active
Daniel Lee, MD
Clinical Specialties
J’Rick Lu, DO
ID: STUDY00000984
DESCRIPTION: Diabetic foot infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and diagnostic accuracy is key to providing long-term treatment of this disease. Although the standard of diagnostic care is to perform a contrast-enhanced MRI examination, there may be significant risk involved with the administration of contrast. If we can show that non-contrast MRI with diffusion weighted imaging is as accurate as contrast-enhanced MRI, we will show that it may be unnecessary to give contrast to evaluate diabetic foot infections in a large number of cases, especially in those patients with poor renal function that may increase the unwanted effects of gadolinium-based contrast.
STATUS: Approved
Lucas Struycken, MD
Clinical Specialties
ID: STUDY00003968
DESCRIPTION: We would like to retrospectively look at the medical images (CT, MRI and PET/CT, etc.) of patients who have received G-tubes to see if they have a hiatal hernia, and if the G-tube had any incidental effect on that hernia.
STATUS: Active
Gregory Woodhead, MD, PhD
ID: STUDY00006310
DESCRIPTION: Calculating the dose of radioactive spheres is an inexact science, which relies on generalized measurements about a patient to calculate the appropriate dose of radioactive spheres to treat the patient’s liver cancer. However, a more personalized approach that more accurately reflects a patient’s tumor burden can result in a different administered dose of radioactive spheres. Recent research has shown that a more accurate dose has a positive impact on treatment and the disease course. By using two different methods to calculate the ratio of tumor to normal hepatic tissue, patient characteristics that may result in different treatment doses can be identified. This can lead to refinement of the normal method of calculating the treatment dose.
STATUS: Pre-Submission
ID: 1907820112
DESCRIPTION: Patients with past PEs treated by interventional radiology, pulmonary or internal medicine will be identified. These patients follow up with the aforementioned specialties with regular clinic visits. Potential subjects for the study will be screened and recruited as participants. Previous UA PE studies demonstrate approximately 75 potential subjects who may be recruited. At the clinic appointment, the potential subjects will be informed about the study and asked to participate with informed consent. Baseline demographics and clinical data will be collected, as well as subjective assessment of exercise capacity. The patients will then be scheduled to undergo exercise CMR. The exercise will take place in the UA research MRI machine room. Equipment in use will be the Magnetom Skrya MRI machine, an MRI-compatible stress machine, and a metabolic cart. The patient will undergo an MRI at rest with ECG monitoring. The patient will then undergo exercise with a stress machine. A metabolic cart will be used to analyze gas sampling. The patient will exercise to moderate intensity until peak exercise. Peak exercise is determined by plateau of oxygen consumption, target exercise heart rate, respiratory rates >40 or inability to continue exercise. At peak exercise, the metabolic cart will be removed and cardiac MRI will be performed. Vitals and ECG monitoring will occur throughout exercise and imaging. The patient will then recover in a recovery room. The MRI results will be analyzed by a cardiothoracic-trained radiologist for cardiac parameters. The following cardiac parameters will be measured at rest and at stress:
- Right ventricular ejection fraction
- Right ventricular end-diastolic volume
- Right ventricular end-systolic volume
- Stroke volume
- Cardiac index
- Right ventricular mass
- Atrioventricular plane descent
The parameters will then be statistically analyzed.
STATUS: Open
Shamar Young, MD
Clinical Specialties
ID: STUDY00002955
DESCRIPTION: This is a retrospective observational clinical study evaluating whether CT-guided bilateral pudendal nerve cryoneurolysis can effectively reduce severe, persistent pelvic pain caused by cancer.
STATUS: Active
ID: STUDY00005086
DESCRIPTION: This is a retrospective clinical study evaluating how patients respond to Yttrium 90 (Y90) radioembolization when combined with or followed by celiac plexus neurolysis (CPN) for cancer-related upper abdominal pain. It analyzes past cases to understand whether this pairing improves pain control, reduces opioid use and enhances quality of life.
STATUS: Active
ID: CR00002557
DESCRIPTION: This retrospective clinical study reviews past bone marrow biopsy cases to evaluate diagnostic yield, procedural safety and patient outcomes.
STATUS: Active
ID: CR00002558
DESCRIPTION: This retrospective study evaluates outcomes, safety and effectiveness of hepatic cryoablation performed for liver tumors. It analyzes past procedures to improve technique, patient selection and complication prevention.
STATUS: Active
ID: STUDY00004131
DESCRIPTION: This study involves reviewing past cryoneurolysis procedures performed for cancer-related or chronic pain syndromes. The study analyzes outcomes, safety and durability of pain relief to improve technique and patient selection.
STATUS: Active
ID: STUDY00004816
DESCRIPTION: This study compares outcomes of CT-guided splanchnic cryoneurolysis versus CT-guided celiac cryoneurolysis in patients suffering from refractory or intractable malignancy induced upper abdominal or back pain. The study analyzes past procedures to determine which nerve targeting approach provides better pain relief, fewer complications and longer durability.
STATUS: Active
ID: STUDY00005090
DESCRIPTION: This study analyzes demographic, clinical and outcome data from patients who previously underwent TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt) procedures. The goal is to understand which patient characteristics predict better outcomes, complications and long-term survival.
STATUS: Active
ID: CR00002104
DESCRIPTION: This is a study evaluating how cryoablation of small renal cell carcinomas (T1a RCC) affects the immune system. The study analyzes past cases to understand whether cryoablation triggers measurable immune responses that could influence tumor control, recurrence or systemic immunity.
STATUS: Active