Clinical Fellowship in Cardio-Thoracic Imaging

u-Ottawa – The Ottawa Hospital

The Department of Radiology is committed to excellence in education and health research. We fulfil the needs of the communities we serve, locally in Eastern Ontario, nationally in Canada and globally.

The Department of Radiology consists of 75 Faculty members working across the Divisions of Medical Imaging, Radiation Oncology, and Medical Physics. Our educational programs include undergraduate electives, postgraduate training in the form of comprehensive residency and fellowship programs, as well as faculty development. We are the largest Canadian University provider of radiology-based continuing professional development opportunities in Canada.

The Department holds an annual radiology residency review course that is well received and considered a reference standard for comprehensive review of diagnostic radiology.

For more information, please click on the link below:
https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-medicine/radiology 

Eligibility Criteria

Fellowship candidates must have completed an accredited radiology training programme and be either certified or eligible for certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Diagnostic Imaging, The American Board of Radiology, or certified with equivalent qualifications from another country. The candidate must also be proficient in both written and spoken English. Proof of qualifications must be provided by all applicants.

Please apply using the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine’s Application website under Fellowship Programs.

Duration and funding

Number of available places

During 2025/2026 one place will be available for recently board-certified ESR full members, i.e. radiologists residing within the boundaries of Europe. 

General Objectives

To solidify and expand knowledge and skills in various aspects of cardiothoracic imaging, to gain academic insight into diagnosis of both common and less common types of cardiothoracic pathology and to acquire expert skills in examinations and image guided procedures. The successful fellow should be able to practice in either an academic or community radiology practice following fellowship training.

Specific Objectives

• To perform independently and act as a cardiothoracic imaging consultant to clinicians in cardiothoracic radiography, chest and cardiac CT, MRI and image guided invasive procedures.
• To protocol and interpret cardiothoracic imaging scans for various indications including lesion characterization, staging malignancies, trauma, and diffuse interstitial lung diseases.
• To develop the ability protocol, supervise and interpret cardiac CT, cardiac MR and CT and MR aortic imaging studies, including adult congenital heart disease and TAVI aortograms.
• To perform fluoroscopic-guided and CT-guided fine-needle aspiration and core biopsies as well as percutaneous pleural drainage under US guidance and also treat post-procedural complications such as pneumothorax.
• To develop a detailed knowledge of cardiovascular anatomy and acquired and congenital cardiac pathology.
• To develop a working knowledge of cardiac hemodynamics.
• To develop a detailed working knowledge of several 3D workstations used in conjunction with the scanners
• To demonstrate the ability to teach technologists, residents and medical students as part of their daily assigned duties.
• To prepare and attend multidisciplinary cardiac and thoracic imaging rounds.
• To gain experience in research in Radiology through participation in one research projects which includes presentation at our Annual Research Day, as well as publication in a scientific journal and/or presentation at a national or international conference
• Fellows will participate in the call roster performing call supervision.

Structure

This is a 12-month clinical fellowship dedicated to Cardiothoracic Imaging. The schedule will vary with six months spent in cardiac imaging and six months in chest radiology, as detailed below:

1. Thoracic CT and MRI – fellows are expected to read all STAT and high-priority CT cases performed at the General and Riverside Campuses or at the Civic Campus before 5pm. When no priority cases are left the fellow is expected to read routine outpatient chest CTs from all campuses read from oldest to most recent. The fellow is also expected to read all thoracic MRI’s. All cases should be discussed with the staff assigned to CT. All cases reviewed that day are to be dictated prior to leaving the hospital. There will be graded responsibility with the fellow able to dictate cases they feel comfortable with without reviewing with staff depending on assessment of fellow competence.
2. Procedures and ICU chest radiographs – fellows are expected to review the cases and prior imaging studies of all biopsy patients for biopsy planning, obtain the informed consent prior to the procedure, perform the procedure under supervision, read the post-procedure chest radiograph, assess and manage post procedure complications under supervision, discharge the patient and issue a procedure report. In between biopsies, the fellow is expected to read the ICU radiographs, followed by high-priority and then routine radiographs. All procedures and radiographs need to be dictated prior to leaving the hospital. All ICU and high-priority chest radiographs at the assigned campus need to be dictated prior to leaving the hospital.
3. Cardiac Radiology – fellows will read Cardiac CT angiogram and cardiac MR as well as aortic CT and aortic MR studies at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. All cross-sectional examinations will be reviewed with staff assigned to Cardiac Imaging that day and dictated before leaving that day. Fellows will also be expected to dictate the chest radiographs performed at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute every day. There will be graded responsibility for chest radiographs and these will be dictated by the fellow without reviewing with staff depending on fellow competence. All chest radiographs and all STAT and high priority thoracic cross-sectional imaging will be dictated by the end of each day. Fellows will be expected to actively supervise all cardiac CT examinations and MRI’s performed including fielding all questions from technologists and nurses. They will be also expected to dictate and reconstruct TAVI CT aortogram cases.
4. Fellows will be actively involved in protocoling cardiac and cardiothoracic CT’s and MRI’s as well interventional chest procedure with staff supervision.
5. Fellows will be granted an Academic Day once a week that should be used for research projects or preparation of rounds and lectures. The fellows are expected to be in the hospital from 8am to 5pm unless otherwise arranged with the Fellowship Director (see below).

The program director will formally meet with the fellows every two months to discuss the fellow’s strengths and weaknesses and address any outstanding issues brought forth by the fellow.

ACLS Course
This is highly recommended in order to deal with complications resulting from thoracic interventional procedures and adverse events resulting from premedication used for cardiac CT and cardiac MR as well as contrast reactions.

Documentation and Certificate