Pediatric Neuro-Oncological Imaging Fellowship Program

About the program

The Pediatric Neuro-Oncological Imaging Fellowship is an unparalleled opportunity to advance your expertise in neuroradiology. This second-year fellowship, following a year of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)–accredited training, spans up to 12 months and is uniquely tailored for an intimate learning experience granted to only one fellow per term.

Under the mentorship of experienced St. Jude faculty, fellows receive comprehensive training in pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors, as well as spinal, head and neck tumors. The curriculum emphasizes mastery of tumor-specific imaging protocols, proficiency in various response assessment criteria such as RANO, RAPNO, and COG, and integrating molecular tumor markers for sophisticated imaging interpretations. A significant portion of the program (up to half its duration) is dedicated to clinical and translational research, which provides a robust foundation for fellows to contribute to the field meaningfully. This fellowship is crafted to refine your skills and propel you to the forefront of neuro-oncological imaging excellence.

Program resources

The Image Processing and Data Science Resources enables true bench-to-clinic research with highly trained PhDs, advanced imaging scientists and post-processing technologists using dedicated state-of-the-art research imaging equipment, including:

• Four clinical MRI scanners
• One total body PET/CT
• One uniplane interventional suite

Eligibility

Curriculum overview

The program covers the fundamental principles of advanced MR imaging post-processing techniques, including MR spectroscopy, perfusion MRI and diffusion tensor imaging. The fellowship progresses from didactic instruction to practical application, with fellows eventually conducting post-processing under the guidance of an attending neuroradiologist as they develop their proficiency.

Fellows will also be integral to the performance and interpretation of CT and MRI studies and will consult with clinical staff. They are responsible for drafting preliminary reports, which will be refined and finalized by the attending neuroradiologist.

Throughout the fellowship, as trainees deepen their expertise in scholarly research and the practical use of advanced imaging techniques for radiology-pathology correlations, their range of responsibilities will expand. This will include presenting at multidisciplinary tumor boards. During the fellowship, fellows will develop and execute their own research initiatives under the guidance of St. Jude faculty, with the aim of presenting their work and contributing a scholarly article.