Musculoskeletal (Interventional) Mini-Fellowship
Image-guided interventional procedures for diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal (including spine) disorders are an important and growing component of many radiology practices. Such procedures are ideally suited to the skills of radiologists as they require a thorough knowledge of the pertinent anatomy, an understanding of the diseases that affect these structures, and the ability to direct a needle safely to the appropriate site utilizing various imaging techniques.
Description of Mini-Fellowship
A one- to five-day mini-fellowship will acquaint the participant with a wide range of musculoskeletal imaging procedures. The indications, risks, and possible complications of the procedures will be covered along with a discussion of the pertinent anatomy and optimal techniques for performing each. The fellow will directly observe the procedures in our outpatient fluoroscopy suite or in the imaging department at the hospital. Additionally, the fellow will be given a manual describing each procedure (technique of needle placement, medications used, etc., specific pre-printed consent forms, etc).
This mini-fellowship is offered only to radiologists.
Objectives of the Mini-Fellowship
At the end of the mini-fellowship, the participant should be able to:
- Discuss the indications, risks, and safe techniques for performing common image-guided procedures involving the musculoskeletal system.
- Describe the most common approaches for safe image-guided injections of the major joints and lumbar spine.
- List the most common medications used in these procedures along with any potential risks and side effects.
The exact types of procedures observed during the mini-fellowship will vary depending on clinical referrals, but typically include: lumbar spinal injections (facet blocks, selective nerve blocks, epidural steroid injections), injections of all major and many smaller joints, percutaneous soft tissue and bone biopsies. Other procedures performed include radiofrequency ablations for facet joint pain or bone tumors, percutaneous treatment of calcific tendinitis, tendon sheath injections and occasional disk aspirations.
The mini-fellowship will be taught by the musculoskeletal imaging faculty:
If you wish to arrange a mini-fellowship in musculoskeletal interventional procedures, please call 434-982-3255 and provide a list of dates that might work for you. We will get back to you with the dates we can accommodate. You will then need to print and fill out the below registration form and mail along with a check. The fee is nonrefundable.
Mark Anderson, MD
University of Virginia Health System
Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging
Charlottesville, VA 22908