Doctor, Resident, and Patient for Radiation

Medical Imaging Technologies and Resources for Human Research

The UK College of Medicine Department of Radiology promotes human subject research through its state-of-the-art medical imaging facilities distributed across UK HealthCare. These webpages provides essential information regarding the many imaging technologies available for human research. This information is designed to guide you in accessing these resources as you develop your research projects and budgets. We encourage you to contact a member of the Radiology Research Committee to discuss your project.  All imaging equipment is accreditation with the American College of Radiology (ACR). Equipment QC is performed weekly by technologists and in greater depth on a yearly basis by certified medical physicists. In addition, the department of radiology has the prestigious Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence (DICOE) accreditation, one of only two centers in Kentucky holding this designation.                

triangle logo for the American College of Radiology with following wording at bottom: Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence

Guiding Principles

  • All diagnostic medical imaging related to human clinical research in the department of radiology is performed by staff technologists operating under the direction of their respective radiology faculty physicians and physicists.
  • All image-guided interventional procedures are performed by specialized radiology faculty physicians.
  • Professional recognition and salary support of radiology personnel commensurate with their effort, expertise, and oversight are expected.
  • All research protocols must be approved by the UK Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior.
  • Additional approvals may be necessary depending upon the nature of the research.
  • Special accommodations may be made for selected animal imaging research.

Personnel Resources

  • The UK Department of Radiology has more than 45 physician faculty, two physicist faculty, and more than 200 staff technologists.
  • All physician and physicist faculty are board-certified or are in the process of achieving board certification.
  • All staff technologists have received, or are in the process of receiving, modality-specific certification and licensure.

Hours of Operation

  • Vary for different modalities and sites, but in general are Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • For human research, off-hours access may be available.
  • For animal research, off-hours arrangements must be made.

Costs

  • The professional fee for a given imaging examination or interventional procedure is determined by UK HealthCare as a percentage of the usual and customary clinical charge; this fee may be waived if faculty salary support is included within the project budget.
  • The hospital charge for a given imaging examination or interventional procedure is determined by UK HealthCare in negotiation with the NIH as a percentage of the usual and customary clinical charge.
  • As these charges change annually, investigators should contact the Radiology Vice Chair for Research, Dr. Xiaoqin Jennifer Wang, to discuss their particular research needs for initial and renewal budgets. When developing a budget for a grant proposal, investigators are encouraged to anticipate increases in these charges in future fiscal years.