About the Department of Radiology & Radiological Science

Eric graduated with a bachelor’s of science in Human Biology from Brigham Young University in Provo, UT in 1997 followed by medical school at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine from 1999-2003 on a military HPSP scholarship. He completed a transitional internship and radiology residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA in 2008 and served in the military as a diagnostic radiologist until 2015. At that time he completed a one year diagnostic neuroradiology fellowship at MUSC between 2015-2016 and then spent a few years in private practice in the pacific northwest. He rejoined the MUSC team as an Assistant Professor of Radiology in the Neuroradiology division in January 2020. He has long held a fascination for neurosciences as well as anatomy and imaging of the neuroaxis.

Dr. Justin Chetta is a radiologist who specializes in neuroimaging. He graduated summa cum laude from the Baylor University honors college and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He then went to Baylor College of Medicine and is a member of the Gold Humanism honor society.

He completed an internal medicine internship and a diagnostic radiology residency at Baylor College of Medicine. During that time, he was elected chief resident, graduated at the top of his class, and bestowed the distinction of honorary medical physicist. Subsequently, he completed fellowships in neuroradiology at Baylor College of Medicine and musculoskeletal imaging/intervention at the University of Colorado.

In addition to diagnostic neuro and musculoskeletal radiology, Dr. Chetta has added expertise in spine procedures such as cement augmentation, radiofrequency ablation, and interventional pain management. He is interested in quality improvement and optimizing imaging protocols.

Kevin W. Dickey, M.D. FACR, FSIR received his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA and completed two years of a general surgery residency at Emory as well. He completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at the University of Vermont School of Medicine in Burlington, VT and his fellowship in vascular and interventional radiology at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Dickey has been a faculty member at Yale School of Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School and most recently at Wake Forest School of Medicine where he was chief of the Section of Interventional Radiology and the executive vice chair of the Radiology Department. He has also worked in private practice in Connecticut and South Carolina.

Dr. Dickey is certified by the American Board of Radiology and has been honored as a Fellow of the American College of Radiology and the Society of Interventional Radiology. He serves in leadership positions for several professional societies. He is both an examiner for the American Board of Radiology (ABR) and is on the Exam Writing Committee for the ABR. He has lectured at many meetings and institutions, national and international, and is well-known professionally as a leader in his field of interventional radiology.

His research interests include the nonsurgical treatment of many disease processes, including venous disease and cancer. He has performed, presented and published research on the utility of machine learning to predict procedure complication, long term effects of vena cava filtration, infection rates after device placement as well as the nonsurgical evaluation and treatment of bleeding after major trauma.

Dr. Dickey's clinical interests include the nonsurgical treatment of renal (kidney) cancer, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, uterine fibroids, venous thrombosis, pelvic congestion syndrome and using interventional methods to treat infertility.

Meryle J. Eklund, M.D. is an associate professor of radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Eklund received her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in 2008 and completed a transitional year followed by residency in diagnostic radiology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She completed a fellowship in pediatric radiology at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta &- Egleston campus (an affiliate of Emory University). She joined the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences at MUSC as a faculty member in 2014.Dr. Eklund is certified by the American Board of Radiology and holds a certificate of added qualification in Pediatric Radiology. She is a reviewer for RadioGraphics.

Dr. Saeed Elojeimy earned his M.D./Ph.D. from the Medical University of South Carolina, followed by a diagnostic radiology residency and fellowship at the University of Washington. After graduation, he joined the University of New Mexico Radiology Department and subsequently served as Section Chief of Nuclear Medicine. In 2020, he joined the Department of Radiology at MUSC and currently serves as Director of the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Program Director for the Nuclear Medicine Residency Program. His clinical, educational, and research interests include nuclear medicine, molecular cardiac and oncologic PET imaging, and theranostics.

Dr. Cain Green is an interventional radiologist at MUSC. He was awarded a scholarship to attend Sewanee: The University of the South where he double majored in Music and Chemistry. He then received his medical degree from The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN and went on to complete a general surgery internship and diagnostic radiology residency at The University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, TN. As a radiology resident, he was selected to be chief resident.

Dr. Green then completed his training in interventional radiology at Yale University where he learned from world experts in various areas of interventional radiology. After finishing training, he performed diagnostic and interventional radiology in Pensacola, FL for 3 years. During his time in Florida, Dr. Green performed the first thoracic duct embolization, percutaneous biliary endoscopy, percutaneous jejunostomy, and prostate artery embolization at a large referral hospital in addition to significantly growing the oncology practice.

Dr. Green is excited to join the incredible interventional radiology team at MUSC. He feels honored to be involved in the care of cancer patients and will be offering the full spectrum of cancer care ranging from biopsy (for diagnosis), port or central line placement (for chemotherapy), ablation or embolization (for tumor treatment), and fracture stabilization or nerve block/ablation (for cancer-related pain relief).Dr. Green will also be offering a variety of non-cancer procedures including prostate artery embolization for benign prostate enlargement, dialysis access maintenance, vertebral body augmentation for spinal fractures, a variety of procedures for liver disease, and many others.

Dr. Green will see patients in the West Ashley Medical Pavilion clinic.

Dr. Marcelo Guimarães started his six years of medical training at the School of Medicine at the Federal University of Rio Grande Sul in Porto Alegre, Brazil. During his time in medical school he volunteered at the Hospital Santa Casa, the Hospital de Clinicas and the Hospital Santa Casa, all located in Porto Alegre. At these hospitals he spent time in intensive care, gastroenterology, internal medicine, general surgery, trauma surgery and radiology. He also taught human anatomy, clinical biochemistry, clinical pathology and clinical epidemiology. In 1994, during his third year of medical school, Dr. Guimarães traveled to Oxford Medical University (John Radcliffe Hospital) in England for two months where he had his first exposure to minimally invasive procedures performed under image guidance. Upon his return to Brazil after finishing medical school, he had post-graduate training that included a general surgery residency, a general and interventional radiology residency (Hospital de Clínicas in Porto Alegre and in Recife, Brazil, respectively) and a two year fellowship at the interventional radiology division at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina.

After 12 years of medical education in Brazil and in United States, Dr. Guimarães developed successful academic (Hospital de Clinicas) and private (Hospital Moinhos de Vento) practices in Porto Alegre, Brazil where more than 2,000 different interventional radiology procedures were performed from 2005 to 2007. The lack of time to work simultaneously in clinical practice and research made the invitation to return to work at MUSC very attractive.

Dr. Guimarães began working as an assistant professor at the division of vascular and interventional radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina in January 2008. Since then, he has worked on research projects and has been invited to present lectures in several relevant national and international meetings in his field of work. He is deeply interested in peripheral vascular disease and in oncology procedures. Dr. Guimarães' strongest interests are in the development of new interventional radiology techniques and devices that can increase procedure safety and in providing superior care to his patients.

Jeanne Griffin Hill, M.D. is professor of radiology and pediatrics, division director of pediatric radiology, and director of medical student education for the Department of Radiology and Radiologic Science at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Hill received her BA from Duke University and M.D. from MUSC. She completed her diagnostic radiology residency training, served as chief resident, and completed pediatric radiology fellowship training at MUSC. She is board-certified by the American Board of Radiology and has earned two certificates of added qualification in pediatric radiology.

Among her awards and honors are membership in AOA, the National Medical Honor Society, and MUSC Radiology Department Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. She was also a finalist for the MUSC College of Medicine's Clinical Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr. Hill has also been named among The Best Doctors in America, 2001 to 2015, one of America's Top Radiologists, and Who's Who Among America's Teachers.

Dr. Hill has published articles and abstracts in a variety of journals, including the American Journal of Radiology, Radiographics, Pediatric Radiology, Clinical Radiology, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, and Academic Medicine. She has received two RSNA education grants, served as an oral board examiner for the pediatric section of the American Board of Radiology and is a member of several scholarly societies including the American College of Radiology, the Radiological Society of North America, the American Roentgen Ray Society, the Society for Pediatric Radiology, and the Association of University Radiologists.

Dr. Hill is very active in the local community where she has worked in the public and private schools mentoring middle school and high school students interested in medical careers. She has served on the PTO of Charleston Catholic School, the Ashley Hall Foundation Board, and the School Improvement Council of Wando High School. In addition, her passions include general pediatric radiology and teaching medical students and residents about diagnostic radiology and pediatric imaging.

Dr. Kevin P. Horn, Ph.D., M.D. is a nuclear medicine physician with a passion for providing excellent patient care, teaching the next generation of doctors and scientists, and performing cutting-edge research to improve health care in the future. He is an assistant professor in the Department of Radiology and specializes in both the interpretation of imaging studies and the administration of therapies performed within the nuclear medicine division.

I am thrilled to help your child with modern medical imaging technology. Your child's doctor will order x-ray, ultrasound, CT, or MRI imaging and I look at and interpret what the images mean and write a diagnostic report for you and your doctor. The goal is to get an answer or diagnosis about what the problem is and how to solve it. I work closely with pediatricians and pediatric specialists throughout MUSC with daily and weekly conferences in making a diagnosis and monitoring treatment. I also perform various minimal-invasive procedures including biopsies of lesions and injections of inflamed joints with steroids.

I am a father of two and love to bike to work and surf, and my wife is a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon at MUSC.

Jennifer Joyce, D.O. is an Assistant Professor of Radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr Joyce completed her diagnostic radiology residency and neuroradiology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. She joined the clinical faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina in July 2023.

Dr. Joyce’s clinical and academic interests focus primarily on head and neck imaging, specifically oncologic imaging and head and neck pathology. She has an active role in the American Society of Head and Neck Radiology since 2018 and has been invited as a guest speaker at head and neck conferences. She has presented her research at major national radiological meetings as well as published several peer- reviewed articles and review articles.

Academic Focus: Computed Tomography of the Heart and Chest, Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Heart and Chest, Non-Invasive Imaging of the Vascular System

Ismail M. Kabakus, M.D., Ph.D. serves as Director of Cardiovascular and Thoracic CT Imaging and as Program Director of the Cardiothoracic Imaging Fellowship. His clinical expertise includes advanced cardiac CT and MRI, thoracic imaging, and noninvasive vascular imaging, with a focus on optimizing imaging protocols and enhancing diagnostic accuracy. His research interests center on the integration of artificial intelligence and photon-counting detector CT in cardiothoracic imaging. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in leading radiology journals and has presented his work at national and international conferences. Dr. Kabakus is actively engaged in medical education and mentorship and has received multiple teaching awards for his contributions to the training. He has served on national committees, including the American Board of Radiology Certifying Examination Committee, and contributes as a reviewer and editorial board member for several radiology journals.

Dr. Rebecca Leddy received her Bachelor of Science and Medical Doctorate from the University of Florida. Dr. Leddy then completed a diagnostic radiology residency at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She is certified by the American Board of Radiology. Dr. Leddy completed a fellowship in breast imaging radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and joined the faculty at MUSC in 2010. Dr. Leddy is currently a Professor in Radiology at MUSC, the Medical Director of Breast Imaging at MUSC Charleston, MUSC Department of Radiology Breast Imaging Section Chief, and the MUSC Breast Imaging Fellowship Director. Dr. Leddy has presented nationally on her breast imaging research. Her interests are in breast education and in healthcare disparities. She resides in Charleston with her husband, three kids, and dog.

Maria Gisele Matheus, M.D. is an associate professor of radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Matheus graduated from University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Ribeirao Preto/Sao Paulo, Brazil. She completed a diagnostic radiology residency at the University of Sao Paulo Clinical Hospital, Ribeirao Preto/Sao Paulo, Brazil. She was then a research fellow of the Neurology and Neuroradiology Departments at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She completed a neuroradiology fellowship at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. She joined the radiology faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina in July 2007. Her primary research interests are functional magnetic resonance imaging, stroke, and head and neck cancer. She has presented her research work at major national radiological meetings and has published several peer-reviewed articles and review articles.

Dr. McBee is a pediatric radiologist and informaticist focused on improving how imaging integrates into clinical care. He serves as the Vice Chair and Medical Director of Radiology Informatics, working at the intersection of radiology operations, enterprise IT systems, and clinical workflows to design and implement more efficient, connected imaging environments.

Reggie Munden, M.D., D.M.D., MBA, FACR, serves as chair and professor of the Department of Radiology of the College of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and the chief of the Radiology Integrated Center of Clinical Excellence (ICCE) at MUSC Health. He received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of South Carolina and a Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) with honors from the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Following several years in private practice in dentistry, he returned to MUSC to earn a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from the College of Medicine. Following completion of a radiology residency at MUSC, he completed a fellowship in thoracic imaging at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He later obtained his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Auburn University.

Dr. Munden’s clinical care and research have focused on lung cancer screening and staging and treatment response to therapy. He has served as principal investigator (PI), co-principal investigator (Co-PI), and senior investigator on funded research and clinical trials related to lung cancer screening and treatment. With over 161 publications, 77 published abstracts and exhibits, and 150 presentations/lectures, he has served in several academic institutions including 14 years at MD Anderson Cancer Center as well as serving as chair of the Department of Radiology of the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama – Birmingham (UAB), Houston Methodist Research Institute, and Wake Forest School of Medicine. He also served as vice president of the Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center Service Line before joining MUSC. He is an accomplished mentor with several former faculty members and mentees from the LEAD program, jointly led by the Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments (SCARD) and GE Healthcare, who are now serving as department chairs.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Radiology (FACR), the secretary-treasurer of the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS), serves on the American College of Radiology (ACR) Board of Chancellors, and is past treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the Research and Education Foundation of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA. He enjoys golf, biking on the beach, and traveling with his wife, who is a pediatric radiologist.

Brielle Paolini, M.D., Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in Radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) specializing in Breast Imaging in Charleston, SC. Dr. Paolini completed her diagnostic radiology training at MUSC.

Dr. Paolini graduated Salutatorian from Cape Henry Collegiate in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She attended undergraduate at the College of William and Mary where she also competed on varsity at Division I golf for four years. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Neuroscience in 2010. Dr. Paolini was then awarded an MD/PhD scholarship to Wake Forest School of Medicine where she completed a seven-year program from 2010-2017. Dr. Paolini earned her PhD in Neuroscience in 2015 involving work on Complex Brain Networks, and she completed her MD degree in 2017. While at Wake Forest, Dr, Paolini spent seven years studying and researching on Neuroscience and other topics and she participated in the Mind and Life Institute, lectured on high-performance teams and mental toughness and co-founded the Student Wellness Center.

Dr. Paolini then started an internship and residency in Radiology at MUSC. During her time there, Dr. Paolini sat on multiple hospital committees. Dr. Paolini has a passion for teaching, and she has received multiple teaching awards.

Dr. Paolini has more than 11 publications, 3 book chapters and 13 invited talks. Her current research interests including breast cancer genetics, utilization of breast MRI and leadership training. Notably, Dr. Paolini received the Radiology Society of North America-Roentgen Research Award in 2022.

Dr. Paolini also has multiple clinical interests involving access to breast care, high-risk breast cancer screening and medical wellness. Dr. Paolini currently resides in Charleston, SC with her husband. She enjoys lecturing on leadership and teambuilding, researching nutrition topics, painting, ballroom dancing, golfing, meditation/yoga and pilates in her free time.

E. Russell (Russ) Ritenour received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Virginia in 1980. He was selected for an NIH PostDoctoral Fellowship at the University of Colorado and stayed on the faculty there as Director of the Graduate Program in Medical Physics until 1989 when he  moved to the University of Minnesota where he was Professor and Chief of Physics in the Department of Radiology and Director of Graduate Studies in Biophysical Sciences and Medical Physics in the Graduate School for twenty-five years.

He has served the American Board of Radiology in various capacities since 1986 including membership and then chair of the physics committee for the radiology resident’s exam. In 1999 he did a sabbatical with the ABR to help develop the computerized exam that is in use today for radiology residents. He has served as a consultant to the Army for resident physics training and is a founding member of the Society of Directors of Academic Medical Physics Programs. He is a fellow of the American College of Radiology and a fellow and past president of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

He also served as imaging editor of the journal Radiographics and as Board Member and Treasurer of the Radiological Society of North America Research and Education Foundation and as Board Member of the International Organization of Medical Physics. In the fall of 2014 he moved to the Medical University of South Carolina, where he is Professor, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, and Director of the Diagnostic Medical  Physics Residency Program. He has over 60 articles in peer reviewed journals and is author or co-author of ten books , four electronic educational series, and eleven book chapters. His research interests include radiation safety, efficacy of diagnostic imaging, and the use of high speed networks for medical education and clinical communication.

Donna Roberts, M.D., MS, recently joined the International Space Station National Laboratory (ISSNL) as the Deputy Chief Scientist, where she assists the Chief Scientist in developing long-term microgravity research goals for the ISSNL.

In addition, Dr. Roberts is a Professor in the Department of Radiology and Radiological Science at the Medical University of South Carolina. In addition to clinical work as a practicing neuroradiologist, she has served as principal investigator for several NASA-funded studies investigating the impact of spaceflight on the human brain during long stays in microgravity. She also conducted several industry-sponsored clinical trials and served as aninternational principal investigator for a multi-national MRI contrast agent drug trial. She previously worked in Washington, DC, for Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Company, providing program management support to the NASA Life Sciences Division at NASA Headquarters. Dr. Roberts has served as a voting member of the FDA's Medical Imaging Drugs Advisory Committee. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific papers and has given TedX talks describing her research. She has won several awards, including the International Space Station Compelling Results Award from the American Astronautical Society in 2018.

Dr. Roberts holds a medical  degree from the Medical University of South Carolina, a master of science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado, and a bachelor of science in Computer Engineering from Clemson University. She completed residency training in Radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina and a fellowship in Neuroradiology at the University of California, San Francisco.

Maria Vittoria Spampinato, M.D. is an assistant professor of radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina. She graduated from medical school at the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy, where she also completed a diagnostic radiology residency. She was a post-doctoral fellow in the intramural program at the National Institute for Neurological Diseases and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland. She completed a neuroradiology fellowship at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She joined the radiology faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina in November 2005.

Dr. Spampinato's primary research interests are functional magnetic resonance imaging, brain tumors, and head and neck cancer. She has presented her research work at major national radiological meetings and has published several peer-reviewed articles and review articles.

Leslie E. Hirsig, M.D. is an assistant professor of radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Hirsig received her bachelor of science at Emory University and medical degree at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, Florida. She completed her intern year in internal medicine at Carney Hospital in Dorchester, Massachusetts (an affiliate of Tufts University School of Medicine). She then returned to Gainesville for diagnostic radiology residency at the University of Florida. Her additional fellowship training in pediatric radiology was obtained at Texas Children's Hospital with Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Hirsig is currently board eligible for the American Board of Radiology in Diagnostic Radiology.

Dr. Hirsig's primary clinical interests include pediatric body imaging, ultrasound, and fetal MRI.

Dr. Tipnis is currently a Professor of Radiology & Chief of Medical Physics in the Department of Radiology & Radiological Science at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). At MUSC, he provides guidance on optimizing imaging protocols in CT, Nuclear Medicine, and radiation safety. He teaches radiology residents, cardiology fellows and medical students about physics of radiological imaging and ionizing radiation. Dr. Tipnis is board certified by the American Board of Radiology (ABR) in Diagnostic Medical Physics and Nuclear Medical Physics. Dr. Tipnis is a Fellow of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and chairs the task group TG361 on the recommended use and management of protective garments. He is a member of 3 other sub-committees for radiation protection, radiology resident curriculum, and cardiology fellow’s curriculum. Dr. Tipnis currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the ABR as the trustee for Diagnostic Medical Physics, and as an oral examiner for ABR’s Diagnostic and Nuclear Medicine certifying exams. He is currently a co-Editor-in-Chief of Medical Physics International, a publication of the IOMP, section editor for radiology physics for Contemporary Diagnostic Radiology and a member of the editorial board for the Encyclopedia of Medical Physics. He is a faculty member at the biennially organized College on Medical Physics, at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy. Dr. Tipnis has published over 50 peer-reviewed research articles related to radiation exposure, techniques in radiological imaging, and the development of scintillators.

Dr. Ricardo Yamada graduated in medicine from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2004 and completed his residency in diagnostic radiology in 2009 in the same institution. He moved to the United States in 2011, where he had three years of extensive training in interventional radiology, including three fellowships: vascular and interventional radiology, body imaging and interventional radiology, and pediatric interventional radiology. He is interested in areas such as peripheral arterial disease, vascular anomalies, and oncology, including pediatric interventions.