News
Geoffrey D. Rubin, MD, MBA, FAAR, has been named President Elect of the Association of Academic Radiology (AAR), recognizing his longstanding leadership and influential contributions to the field. His appointment reflects a continued commitment to advancing AAR’s mission and elevating the next generation of radiologists. Dr. Rubin brings a distinguished record of service to the organization, having previously served as Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and as a member of the Board of Directors.
Bital Savir‑Baruch, MD, FACNM, was honored with the Steven M. Pinsky Distinguished Service Award/Gold Medal at the 2026 CCSNMMI Annual Spring Meeting, held March 21–22 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Many congratulations to Dr. Savir on this well‑deserved recognition!
The Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology programs collectively interviewed 117 outstanding candidates, and we are thrilled to officially welcome our newest Radiology Residents for the 2027–2028 academic year.
In this issue: Match 2026 results, welcoming a new (grand) baby boy, faculty honors, Banner’s national awards, annual meeting presentations, innovation stories for Fetal Imaging and Musculoskeletal Imaging, Neuroradiology Fellow spotlights, wellness event photos, and much more!
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third leading cause of cardiovascular death in the United States, resulting in nearly 100,000 deaths each year. To address this, the Interventional Radiology (IR) team has implemented system‑wide clinical improvements and launched numerous clinical trials aimed at advancing the diagnosis and treatment of PE. In 2019, Greg Woodhead, MD, PhD, co‑founded a Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) to accelerate multidisciplinary decision‑making for intermediate‑ and high‑risk PE, enhancing care in time‑sensitive clinical cases.
Following FDA approval of Resmetirom (Rezdiffra), the first therapy for fatty liver disease (MASH), Abdominal Imaging now plays a central role in streamlining diagnosis, staging fibrosis, and monitoring treatment response as clinical demand accelerates. Hina Arif‑Tiwari, MD, FSAR, has conducted research on MRI assessment of diffuse liver disease, providing foundational evidence for MRI‑based characterization of steatosis and fibrosis and supporting the integration of advanced MR techniques in MASLD/MASH evaluation.
Congratulations to Russel Witte, PhD, and the entire University of Arizona research team on securing up to $1.8 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA‑H) to develop the groundbreaking Phase Change Ultrasound Lymphograph (PCUS).
In this issue: a new ARPA‑H Research award, ACGME accreditation, welcoming a new baby girl, celebrating our fantastic Residents and Fellows during Trainee Appreciation Week 2026, Banner MVP accolades, the 4th Year Resident Spotlight, research publications much more.
Hina Arif, MD, FSAR, professor and vice chair of radiology and imaging sciences and assistant dean for faculty affairs at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, received the 2025 Edith Sayre Auslander Established Visionary Award.
Harish Gudi, MD, Assistant Professor in the Abdominal and Cardiothoracic Radiology Divisions, has been named one of only two national recipients of the 2025 Diagnosis Please Certificate of Recognition from the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Karthik Rayasam attended the RSNA 2025 annual meeting and his team was recognized with the Quality Improvement Report Award.
In this double issue: Honoring Drs. Barrett and Gmitro, welcoming new providers, new babies, faculty honors and awards, new publications, our new departmental home, and much more.
Our community mourns the loss of an extraordinary colleague and friend, Dr. Harrison H. Barrett, Regents Professor Emeritus of Optical Sciences and Radiology and Imaging Sciences at the University of Arizona, who passed on November 22 in Tucson. Our thoughts are with Dr. Barrett’s family, friends, and all who knew and loved him. Information regarding memorial events will be shared as they are made available.
We are deeply saddened to share that our friend and colleague, Professor Emeritus Dr. Arthur (Art) Gmitro, passed away on November 22, in Tucson. Our thoughts are with Art’s family, friends, and all who knew and loved him. Dr. Gmitro's celebration of life will be held on February 21. Read on for more details and to RSVP.
In this issue: Celebration of life for Professor Emeritus Joachim Seeger, MD, welcoming a new baby boy, celebrating our amazing Radiology Techs during Radiologic Technology Week 2025, 4th Year Resident Spotlight, various publications and presentations, Resident kudos and much more.
It is with a sad and heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of Joachim F. Seeger, MD, a distinguished diagnostic radiologist, educator and leader whose career spanned more than five decades. Dr. Seeger passed away peacefully on October 29 in Tucson at the age of 86. A celebration of Dr. Seeger’s life will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25, at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch.
Our Chair, Geoffrey D. Rubin, MD, MBA, is awarded the SABI Gold Medal, announcing the newest arrival, Resident Spotlight with the Chief of Interventional Radiology - Integrated and our Interventional Radiology - Independent resident, celebrating Halloween RAD-style, and much more!
The Society for Advanced Body Imaging (SABI) has announced Geoffrey D. Rubin, MD, MBA, FSABI, FACR, FAAR, FNASCI, FAHA, Professor and Chair of Radiology & Imaging Sciences at the University of Arizona, as a recipient of its prestigious 2025 Gold Medal, the organization’s highest honor.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month which serves as a powerful reminder that early detection saves lives. Scheduling your mammogram is a simple step that can make all the difference. Contact the expert team at Banner University Medicine Advanced Imaging 520 - 694 - 4034, option #1. Saturday appointments are available.
In this issue: outreach events, ribbon cutting events for the ED’s new Photon Counting CT and for the University of Arizona’s newest AI-powered MRI systems for research, kicking off the Resident Spotlight with our Diagnostic Radiology Chiefs, and much more!