Scientific Advisory Board

Deborah A. Baumgarten is currently Senior Associate Consultant Radiologist at the Mayo Clinic, Florida, and Professor of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Dr Baumgarten received her MD from Emory Medical School in 1989, where she also completed her radiology training and Abdominal Imaging Fellowship. She was an attending radiologist at Emory for 25 years and achieved the rank of Professor in 2010. During her time at Emory she was an Associate Program Director of the Radiology Residency for 14 years, Director of the Preliminary Radiology Program/Transitional Internship for 17 years and Abdominal Fellowship Director for 19 years. She was also the Associate Abdominal Division Director for almost 3 years before leaving Emory to join the faculty at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville as a Professor of Radiology in February 2020. Her roles at Mayo Clinic include Educational Liaison for the Abdominal CT rotation, member of the Ultrasound Operations Committee and member of the Clinical Competency Committee. She has also been awarded Fellow Status in the Mayo Clinic Academy of Academic Excellence. Dr Baumgarten is an active member of numerous radiology societies, including the American Roentgen Ray Society and the Radiological Society of North America. She is a Fellow of the American College of Radiology and the Society of Abdominal Radiology. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Baumgarten is active in service and education, providing mentorship to residents, fellows and junior faculty. She is also a reviewer for the leading radiology journals, has received many awards during her career and has a wealth of publications in her name. Dr Baumgarten has a specialty interest in abdominal imaging, with a particular clinical focus in CT and ultrasound of gastrointestinal and genitourinary conditions, with additional expertise in post-operative neck and thyroid.

Dr C. Dan Johnson is currently Professor of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Alyx College of Medicine and Consultant at the Mayo Clinic Arizona. Dr Johnson studied medicine at Mayo Medical School in Rochester, completed two years of residency training in internal medicine and three years in diagnostic radiology. Board certified in Diagnostic Radiology 1984, he also gained a Master’s degree in Diagnostic Radiology from the University of Minnesota, followed by fellowship and research training at Duke University. He joined the staff at Mayo Clinic in 1986. In 2004 he gained a second Master’s degree in Medical Management from Carnegie Mellon University. Dr Johnson is a Member of many professional associations, including: American Board of Radiology/GI Radiology (member and examiner); American College of Physician Executives; American Roentgen Ray Society; Radiological Society of North America; Society of Computed Body Tomography and Magnetic Resonance; Society of Gastrointestinal Radiology. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Radiology, and Fellow and Gold medal recipient from the Society of Abdominal Radiology. He is a seasoned reviewer of multiple abdominal imaging and gastroenterology journals, with a list of publications and book credits numbering in hundreds. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the monthly journal Abdominal Radiology. Dr Johnson’s research involves the development of a full structural colorectal screening examination using CT Colonography (virtual colonoscopy) in both the prepared and unprepared colon. This interest includes evaluation of examination performance, patient acceptance, cost effectiveness, image display technology, software development, and CT technology as it applies to this application. He is also interested in, teaches and publishes in the field of health system science.

Dr Thomas Lauenstein is currently the Medical Director at Evangelisches Krankenhaus in Düsseldorf, Germany, where he has been the chief physician of the radiological clinic since 2015. Dr Lauenstein studied medicine at the universities of Bonn and Valencia, receiving his license in 1999. He subsequently completed his residency within the Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at University Hospital Essen. Following his doctorate and exam as a specialist in diagnostic radiology, Dr Lauenstein went to the USA in 2006. For two years he worked as an assistant professor at Emory University in Atlanta, where he was particularly concerned with the diagnosis of abdominal diseases. Returning to Germany in 2008 he became a senior physician at the Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at the University Hospital in Essen, holding the managerial role of deputy director and senior physician from 2010 until his move to the EVK Düsseldorf in 2015. Dr Lauenstein is a member of numerous professional associations and scientific organizations: Deutsche Röntgengesellschaft (DRG), European Congress of Radiology (ECR), International Society of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (ISMRM), Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS). He is also a reviewer of numerous European and International imaging journals. Dr Lauenstein’s specialties are abdominal imaging of the gastrointestinal tract, with a focus on liver, pancreas and bowel; cross-sectional hybrid imaging (PET/CT and PET/MRI); and interventional radiology with a focus on oncology (SIRT, TACE).

Dr Alec Megibow is currently the Director of Faculty Practice Radiology, in New York University Department of Radiology. He also holds the academic positions of Professor of Surgery and Professor of Radiology at NYU Medical School. Dr Megibow received his MD from SUNY Syracuse in 1974 and was a trainee at the time computed tomography was introduced into medical practice. To this day he continues his clinical work at Bellevue Hospital and New York Downtown Hospital, and continues to teach at Cornell University Medical Center and New York Downtown Hospital. He has also served as a Visiting Professor for more than 30 universities and medical centers across North America, including the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Nebraska, the University of Connecticut, Emory University, Columbia University, Louisiana State University, McGill Medical School, and the University of Manitoba. Having been associated with journals of abdominal and GI radiology (reviewer and editorial board), Dr Megibow today remains on the editorial board of Abdominal Imaging. He is on the Executive Board of the Society of Computed Body Tomography and the Society of Gastrointestinal Radiologists; holds memberships of several radiology societies, and is a Fellow of the American College of Radiology and Honorary Fellow of the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology. He has received many awards during his career and will be awarded the Cannon Medal of the Society of Abdominal Radiology in March 2022. Dr Megibow was first to describe the use of CT for diverticulitis and bowel obstruction; a large case series on classifying acute pancreatitis; and developed early pancreatic protocol CT strategies. His current interests are in Dual Energy CT, Crohn’s disease imaging, and diagnosing early pancreatic cancer.

Dr Sat Somers is currently Professor of Radiology, McMaster University, and Chairman Emeritus, Department of Radiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario. Dr Somers graduated from the University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, England in 1968. He then completed a residency in radiology at McMaster University Medical Centre in Hamilton, Canada, followed by a fellowship in gastrointestinal radiology at the same institution, where his mentor was the late Dr Igor Laufer. Dr Somers joined the staff at McMaster in 1975, where he continued to be involved with Dr Laufer in testing the various barium products being developed by E-Z-EM. Dr Somers worked his way up the academic and administrative ladder at McMaster. His first administrative position was Director of the Radiology Residency Program, and in 1998 he was appointed as the Academic Head and Chairman of the Department of Radiology. During his tenure as Chairman he was elected as President of the Canadian Heads of the Academic Departments of Radiology in Canada (CHAR). In later years he was elected Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Radiologists, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FFRRCSI) (Hon); Fellow of the American College of Radiology(FACR); Fellow of the Society of Abdominal Radiology (FSAR); Fellow of the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR); and Fellow of the Canadian Association of Radiologists (FCAR). Dr Somers’ contribution to the literature consists of numerous publications, posters, and chapters in gastrointestinal radiology books. He has been a Visiting Professor locally in Canada as well as internationally, and is a reviewer for several major radiology journals. His clinical and research interests include swallowing problems, oesophagus, small bowel, pelvic floor abnormalities, and education.