Program Curriculum

This rotation is centered on plain film interpretation, with extensive exposure to chest radiographs, musculoskeletal imaging and general abdominal studies. Residents receive hands-on training in gastrointestinal barium and genitourinary fluoroscopic studies.

This is a cross-sectional imaging rotation offering exposure to CT, MRI and ultrasound studies of the chest, abdomen and pelvis. The rotation draws from a rich case volume spanning outpatient, inpatient and emergency settings. Residents gain familiarity and experience with a wide variety of subspecialty exams, including high-resolution chest CT, lung cancer screening, rectal MRI, prostate MRI, hepatic iron quantification MRI, CT colonography, OB/Gyn ultrasound and liver elastography ultrasound. Residents also gain hands-on experience performing diagnostic ultrasound studies.

The neuroradiology rotation is comprehensive, exposing residents to a wide range of disease entities — from congenital malformations and neoplasms to degenerative disorders.

Both main hospitals are certified primary stroke centers, and Sutter Roseville Medical Center is a trauma center, ensuring a robust volume of cerebrovascular and trauma cases. Residents participate in multiple multidisciplinary conferences — including tumor boards, neurovascular, head and neck, neurodegenerative, and trauma conferences — gaining insight into how referring physicians rely on radiology expertise and deepening their understanding of disease entities and their treatments. Residents also develop proficiency in advanced imaging modalities and techniques, including CT perfusion, MR perfusion with ASL, CTA, MRA and dual-energy CT (DECT), as well as appropriate protocol selection.

By the end of residency, residents are comfortable performing lumbar punctures for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Those with a particular interest in neurointerventional work have the opportunity to gain exposure to cerebral angiography, spinal procedures and other advanced interventions alongside the neurointerventional team during their fourth year.

With an extensive case mix, engaged faculty, and the recent integration of AI tools, residents have ample opportunity to pursue case reports, quality assurance projects and research.
 

Breast imaging is an interactive, patient-centered rotation involving multiple modalities — including mammography, ultrasound and MRI — to identify and manage diseases of the breast. Junior residents participate in the interpretation of screening and diagnostic mammograms as well as diagnostic ultrasonography. More senior residents have the opportunity to interpret breast MRIs and participate in breast biopsies according to their interests. All residents are encouraged to participate in tumor board to learn the role of the radiologist in multidisciplinary management of breast cancer.

The musculoskeletal radiology rotation provides training in both foundational and advanced radiography technique and interpretation. Residents encounter a wide variety of cases spanning trauma, arthritis, arthroplasty and tumors. Musculoskeletal MRI and CT cases include a large volume of sports medicine, acute trauma, postsurgical and arthritis imaging, as well as tumor evaluation. Diagnostic and therapeutic musculoskeletal ultrasound cases cover soft tissue, tendon and joint evaluation and treatment. Residents also participate in fluoroscopically guided diagnostic and therapeutic joint procedures. Biopsies and ablation procedures are performed by the interventional radiology section.

Emergency radiology rotation provides residents with intensive exposure to a broad range of acute care and inpatient studies, drawing from our four busy emergency departments and inpatient facilities.

Inpatient rotations at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, give residents exposure to both pediatric intensive care unit and newborn intensive care unit studies, as well as other inpatient and emergency department exams. Exams consist of a mix of radiographs and cross-sectional imaging, with occasional fluoroscopy studies. Outpatient experiences will include fluoroscopic procedures twice per week. Pediatric fluoroscopic studies mainly consist of contrast enemas, upper GIs and voiding cystourethrograms.

The nuclear radiology rotation provides full-spectrum exposure to nuclear medicine across three core areas. Residents gain experience in routine nuclear medicine imaging — including V/Q scans, HIDA, GI bleeding studies, myocardial perfusion imaging, endocrinologic imaging, bone scans and brain death protocols — as well as the full range of PET/CT modalities, including FDG, PSMA, DOTATATE, FES and amyloid PET/CT. The rotation also covers therapeutic nuclear medicine, encompassing thyroid ablation and metastatic thyroid cancer therapy, radium therapies for metastatic bone disease, and treatments for neuroendocrine and metastatic prostate cancer.

The cardiac imaging rotation offers exposure to the full spectrum of adult and pediatric cardiac CT and MRI studies, including advanced imaging techniques and 3D post-processing. Close collaboration with the cardiology department enriches the experience through numerous multidisciplinary conferences.

This rotation offers residents hands-on experience performing and assisting with image-guided procedures across the full spectrum of IR. Core interventions include venous access, biopsies and drain placement, while advanced procedures encompass TACE, Y-90 radioembolization, tumor ablations, PAD and endoleak interventions, UAE, PAE, GAE, treatment of DVT/PE and complex IVC filter retrievals. Beyond procedural training, residents are actively involved in the comprehensive evaluation, management and follow-up of IR patients. The rotation also includes dedicated time for interpreting a variety of vascular imaging studies.