Radiology - Sections - Mayo Clinic

The Radiology team at Mayo Clinic is accelerating unprecedented imaging advances in the practice and delivery of health care.

People who turn to Mayo Clinic for help with serious or complex health challenges benefit from the exceptional care, advanced technology and expertise of the Department of Radiology. Radiologists are doctors who specialize in using imaging technology to diagnose and treat people with a wide range of difficult-to-diagnose and complex conditions.

Collaborative care, focused on you

Mayo Clinic has one of the largest radiology practices in the world, with nearly 400 radiologists and 30 physicists across its campuses in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota; as well as the Mayo Clinic Health System.

Mayo Clinic radiologists work closely with many other medical and surgical specialists to make sure you get exactly the care you need. Depending on your situation, your care team may include radiologists and other doctors, including those trained in cardiovascular medicine, urology, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, otorhinolaryngology (ENT)/head and neck surgery, hematology, oncology, gastroenterology and hepatology, neurology, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, or vascular surgery.

Radiologists and physicists work with skilled technologists and nurses to efficiently provide imaging services. This means your test results are usually available quickly, and appointments are scheduled in coordination. Highly specialized experts are working together for you. What might take weeks or even months to accomplish elsewhere can typically be done in a matter of days at Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic Health System clinics, hospitals and health care facilities serve more than 60 communities in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. These sites bring Mayo Clinic radiology expertise and individualized care to their communities.

Mayo Clinic radiologists use advanced imaging technology, which is key to ensuring you receive an accurate diagnosis to guide your treatment. Many of these innovative imaging methods are available at very few medical centers. In recent years, Mayo Clinic installed a 7-tesla MRI scanner and a dual-source photon-counting CT scanner at its campus in Rochester, Minnesota. Both were the first in North America approved for clinical use. The clinic has also added a 7-tesla MRI scanner at its campus in Florida, and plans to add a photon-counting CT scanner there.

With its increased magnetic field strength, the 7-tesla scanner is a transformational tool. It noninvasively reaches deep into the human body, allowing doctors to see what was previously invisible. And the photon-counting CT scanners have many advantages over standard CT technology, such as the ability to see very fine anatomic detail, to image the heart at stop-motion speeds and to reduce radiation doses. Some CT scans of the chest performed in children use no more dose than a traditional chest X-ray.

Some imaging technologies are the result of long-standing research and development programs by Mayo Clinic radiology scientists. These include the photon-counting CT scanner and a compact 3-tesla MRI system for imaging the brain.

Nearly 50 years ago, Mayo Clinic installed the first commercial CT scanner and became the first medical institution outside of London — where CT was invented — to offer CT exams to patients. Today, Mayo Clinic's Department of Radiology continues its leadership role in the use of advanced medical imaging to see, understand, treat and prevent disease.

A few more of the clinic's many imaging milestones include:

The first 64-slice CT scanner
The first dual-source CT scanner
The first photon-counting-detector CT scanner for research purposes
Development of magnetic resonance elastography — a noninvasive technology with uses such as evaluating liver fibrosis without a biopsy
The world's first compact 3-tesla MRI scanner, which will expand patient access to much-needed MRI exams around the world
Development of molecular breast imaging — a supplemental technology to mammograms that can improve detection of tumors in dense breast tissue
The first U.S. institution approved to manufacture and administer C-11 choline injections for choline PET/CT, which can help identify recurrent prostate cancer
One of the first medical institutions to install a PET/MRI scanner with new PET detector technology

Innovative therapies are a key part of the Mayo Clinic Department of Radiology. For instance, ablation is a minimally invasive needle-based therapy used to treat certain cancers. The Department of Radiology is also a leader in the field of nuclear medicine therapy (theranostics). This approach uses radioactive molecules as a drug to target tumor cells. Mayo Clinic is one of a very few medical centers in the United States that offers an FDA-approved theranostic for treatment of certain cancers.

Throughout Mayo Clinic's campuses and the Mayo Clinic Health System, radiology technology includes at least 60 CT scanners, 80 MRI scanners, 60 breast-imaging systems, 5 molecular breast-imaging systems, 315 general radiography systems, 180 ultrasound scanners, 55 nuclear medicine/cardiology systems, 15 PET/CT scanners, 3 PET/MRI scanners and 35 vascular interventional/special procedure suites. In addition, intraoperative MRI allows your surgical team to view real-time images in order to be more precise.

A team dedicated to your safety monitors how these advanced imaging technologies are used for your diagnosis and treatment, while at the same time reducing scan times when possible and enhancing comfort.

Your care team provides you with a complete range of advanced, high-quality diagnostic imaging tests and image-guided treatments in a caring, safe and efficient environment. Availability of services varies among locations. Please confirm when you contact Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic radiologists are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of conditions, including those that are complex or rare. Availability of services varies among locations. Please confirm when you contact Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic has one of the largest and most experienced practices in the United States, with campuses in Arizona, Florida, Minnesota and elsewhere in the Midwest. Staff skilled in dozens of specialties work together to ensure quality care and successful recovery.

Arizona

Abdominal imaging

Body magnetic resonance imaging

Breast imaging and intervention

Medical physics

Samuel (Sam) J. Fahrenholtz, Ph.D.
Anshuman Panda, Ph.D.
Jeremiah Sanders, Ph.D., M.S.
William F. Sensakovic, Ph.D.
Yuxiang Zhou, Ph.D.

Musculoskeletal radiology

Neuroradiology

Nuclear medicine

Thoracic radiology

Ultrasonography

Vascular and interventional radiology

Florida

Abdominal imaging

Augmented intelligence radiology

Body magnetic resonance imaging

Breast imaging and intervention

Emergency and hospital radiology

Medical physics

Musculoskeletal radiology

Neuroradiology

Nuclear medicine

Thoracic radiology

Ultrasonography

Vascular and interventional radiology

Minnesota

Abdominal imaging

Artificial intelligence radiology

Daniel J. Blezek, Ph.D.
Jeremy D. Collins, M.D.
Panagiotis Korfiatis, Ph.D.

Body magnetic resonance imaging

Breast imaging and intervention

Cardiovascular imaging

Emergency and hospital radiology

Medical physics

Musculoskeletal radiology

Neuroradiology

Nuclear medicine

Pediatric radiology

Thoracic radiology

3D anatomical modeling laboratories

Jonathan M. Morris, M.D.

Ultrasonography

Vascular and interventional radiology

Mayo Clinic's Department of Radiology is made up of radiologists who have additional training in a wide range of subspecialized imaging practices. By working in teams, they enhance collaboration, research and patient care.

For more than 100 years, Mayo Clinic has been at the forefront of using radiology to diagnose and treat people. The Department of Radiology is fully integrated into the medical and surgical care available to people who come to the clinic for answers.

Radiology teams at the Clinic's campuses in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; Rochester, Minnesota; and the Mayo Clinic Health System perform and interpret more than 2.1 million radiologic examinations each year. This gives them wide-ranging expertise in the imaging, diagnosis and treatment of serious, complex or rare conditions and diseases. Your team strives to provide an accurate diagnosis and assessment of your needs so that you receive the treatment you need.

Leadership

Mayo Clinic doctors hold leadership positions in national radiology organizations and professional societies, helping to establish guidelines and advance the field for the benefit of all people.

Comprehensive cancer center

Mayo Clinic radiology experts are active in patient care and research in the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center. The Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center ranks in the top tier of cancer centers in the United States for cancer research, treatment and education. Mayo Clinic is also a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

Nationally recognized expertise

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester is ranked the No. 1 hospital in Minnesota, and the five-state region of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2023–2024 "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings.

Learn more about Mayo Clinic's quality rankings.

Mayo Clinic ranks in the top 10 nationally for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding among radiology departments. Recent annual funding for its research endeavors exceeds $50 million, with 88% of that from external sources, including 56 NIH federal research awards and 39 industry awards.

Collaboration among radiologists, physicists and dedicated research scientists keeps the clinic at the leading edge of developing, testing and improving imaging technology. Their proven innovations are brought into clinical practice to help people as quickly and safely as possible. The clinic's radiology researchers also share their results of more than 900 radiology research publications each year. This helps ensure that their findings may benefit people worldwide.

Examples of research successes that improve people's lives include:

CT imaging for precise characterization of disease response
Spectral CT imaging
Dual-source CT for diagnosis of coronary artery disease
Photon-counting-detector CT and other emerging CT technologies
Noninvasive diagnosis of urinary stones
High-detail imaging of the brain for Alzheimer's disease
Radiation dose reduction
PET/MR for improved characterization of cancer response
Noninvasive mapping of the vascular system
Machine learning for identifying genomic properties of cancer
Molecular breast imaging
Contrast-enhanced mammography
MR-guided breast biopsies
MR-guided focused ultrasound ablation applications
MR elastography to characterize liver disease
MR elastography applications, including research on breast MR elastography
Image-guided percutaneous tumor ablation (advancing field of interventional oncology)
Development of computer-aided image assessment software

For more information, see the Department of Radiology's research website.

Clinical trials

Mayo Clinic researchers conduct clinical trials to find new ways to use radiologic technology and procedures. You may have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials that give you the chance to try experimental treatments. Learn more about current radiology clinical trials at Mayo Clinic.

Research labs and focus areas

Explore research labs and radiology focus areas.

Research centers and programs

Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of satisfied Mayo Clinic patients.

Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.

Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.

Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.

An IVC filter is a metal device that is positioned into the body's main vein – called the inferior vena cava (IVC) – that leads from your legs to the right side of your heart. This filter can help keep clots from being carried into your lungs. Filters are typically reserved for people who cannot take anticoagulant drugs or when anticoagulant drugs do not work well enough or fast enough.

A small catheter with the filter in the tip is usually inserted in a vein in your neck or leg, and then into the inferior vena cava. Some filters can be removed when they are no longer needed. The placement of an IVC filter does not address the cause of the initial blood clot risk.

IVC filter removal

A retrievable IVC filter may be removed when the risk of a blood clot traveling to the lungs has passed or if you can take blood thinners. Your doctor may recommend removing the filter when it's no longer needed. IVC retrieval helps reduce the risks of having an IVC filter in your body. For example, certain types of IVC filters have been found to break apart and damager the vein. Filters can also increase risks of new blood clot formation in the legs and abdomen.

The procedure to remove the IVC filter is similar to the procedure used to place it. A small catheter-based wire loop (snare) is inserted into the large vein in the neck. A removable IVC filter contains a small hook at one end. With X-ray guidance, your doctor uses the snare to grasp the hook and withdraw the filter. If this is unsuccessful, advanced complex filter removal techniques can be used very effectively. These procedures are performed on an outpatient basis under sedation, with brief post-procedure observation and return to normal activities the next day.

IVC filter retrieval is generally recognized as safe, but it does carry some risks, including:

Bleeding
Clot formation
Other complications related to a filter changing position after the original placement

Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of IVC filter retrieval before you schedule the procedure.

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Overview

Sept. 17, 2024

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Research

Education

Research

Education

Collaborative care, focused on you

Arizona

Abdominal imaging

Body magnetic resonance imaging

Breast imaging and intervention

Medical physics

Musculoskeletal radiology

Neuroradiology

Nuclear medicine

Thoracic radiology

Ultrasonography

Vascular and interventional radiology

Florida

Abdominal imaging

Augmented intelligence radiology

Body magnetic resonance imaging

Breast imaging and intervention

Emergency and hospital radiology

Medical physics

Musculoskeletal radiology

Neuroradiology

Nuclear medicine

Thoracic radiology

Ultrasonography

Vascular and interventional radiology

Minnesota

Abdominal imaging

Artificial intelligence radiology

Body magnetic resonance imaging

Breast imaging and intervention

Cardiovascular imaging

Emergency and hospital radiology

Medical physics

Musculoskeletal radiology

Neuroradiology

Nuclear medicine

Pediatric radiology

Thoracic radiology

3D anatomical modeling laboratories

Ultrasonography

Vascular and interventional radiology

Leadership

Comprehensive cancer center

Nationally recognized expertise

Clinical trials

Research labs and focus areas

Research centers and programs

IVC filter removal

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