Interview with Dr. Christopher G. Roth

How has Fundamentals of Body MRI, 3rd Edition evolved since the previous edition? How has it evolved since the first edition?

There are a number of updates since the 2^nd edition. Some of these include the updated v2019 Bosniak scheme for characterizing renal lesions, O-RADS for the characterization of ovarian lesions, the updated LI-RADS liver lesion classification system and others. Additionally, the introductory chapter has been largely overhauled, including a new section on practical points and additional content on MRI safety in the recent aftermath of having completed an enterprise MRI safety failure modes, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA). Finally, a new chapter on body MRI emergencies was added reviewing the indications and applications of MRI for emergent conditions, such as appendicitis, female pelvic urgent processes, testicular and penile emergencies and the appearances of other emergent conditions, such as pneumothorax, pneumoperitoneum and hemo- and retroperitoneum.

What is the most exciting aspect of Fundamentals of Body MRI, 3rd Edition? What chapter or topic covered in the new edition are you most excited about? 

As I alluded to above, I am very passionate about MRI physics and its technical complexities and I am very excited to have included new content, which includes a combination of vignettes providing unique insight and mental constructs to help frame MRI concepts, such as the “3-tiered pulse sequence approach” and others. I am also excited to have added more hopefully illustrative figures to outline important concepts because I think sometimes a concise visual representation is more illustrative than a verbose attempt to describe complex concepts.

Who will find the greatest value of Fundamentals of Body MRI, 3rd Edition and why? Has the audience changed since the book first published?

While I think all residents and fellows can rely on this book as a reference during their body MRI rotations, I expect residents and fellows with interest in the topic will derive the greatest value from this book. It is pretty much categorically true that an inherent interest in the topic augments learning, but I think it is especially true of something as complex and interconnected as body MRI where not only focus, but repetition is key to assimilating and understanding this topic.

What new ideas, practices, or procedures would you like to highlight for Fundamentals of Body MRI, 3rd Edition? 

There are numerous updates on standardized practice guidelines (i.e, Bosniak V2019, O-RADS MRI, PI-RADS 2.1, etc.) and more content on MRI safety and how to manage common problems that arise in the management of patients in the MRI environment.

What problem do you hope the future generation of your specialty will be able to solve? 

I think the signal-to-noise (SNR) challenges in MRI offer the greatest potential to revolutionize the modality. To some extent, there has been significant progress in this domain with the arrival of artificial intelligence SNR algorithms that have proven to be able to diminish noise and improve image quality and/or decrease the acquisition time. These innovations are especially important in body MRI where we much more frequently are confronted with the inevitabilities of physiologically related motion that has a much more adverse impact on image quality than in other MRI subspecialties.

Is there anything else about the book you’d like to say? 

During the course of writing this book, we were devastated by the passing of our colleague, co-author and friend, Dr. Sandeep P. Deshmukh, but are gratified that his deep commitment to education and teaching legacy will live on in the Fundamentals of Body MRI, 3^rd edition.

About the Author

Christopher G. Roth, MD, MS, is the Interim Chair of Radiology at Thomas Jefferson University and formerly served as the Director of the Abdominal Imaging Division. With a background in Healthcare Quality and Safety, he earned a Master’s degree in the field from the Sidney Kimmel College of Population Health at TJU. His clinical passion is body MRI, and he completed the body MRI fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH) in 2003. During that time, the training was more hands-on than it is today, involving extensive “micro-protocoling.” This process allowed him to add and modify pulse sequences based on clinical indications and patient factors. His unique background has fostered a “blue collar” approach to MRI physics and technical factors, helping to clarify some of the complexities of body MRI that might otherwise remain unspoken, untaught, and unlearned.

Purchase your copy of Fundamentals of Body MRI, 3rd Edition here!