Dr. Leo Sugrue

Dr. Christopher Hess is a neuroradiologist, a specialist in diagnosing nervous system disorders with advanced imaging technologies. He uses MRI to diagnose and monitor neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia, and movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. He also has expertise in diagnosing vascular anomalies (abnormalities involving blood vessels) and in CT-guided spinal procedures. He serves as chair of the UCSF Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging. Hess earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He earned a master of science degree and doctorate in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He completed a residency in radiology and a fellowship in neuroradiology at UCSF. Dr. Hess is highly rated in 11 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are PHACE Syndrome, Arteriovenous Malformation, Aplasia Cutis Congenita, Deep Brain Stimulation, and Vertebroplasty.

Dr. Christopher Dowd is an expert in neurointerventional radiology, the minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of disorders involving blood vessels of the brain and spine. He has special interests in treating brain aneurysms and vascular malformations using endovascular techniques. After receiving his undergraduate degree in biology from Harvard University, Dowd earned his medical degree at the University of Virginia. He completed a residency in diagnostic radiology at University of California, San Diego, and fellowships in neuroradiology and interventional radiology at UCSF, where he joined the faculty in 1987. Dowd is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Clinical Teacher of the Year award from the UCSF Department of Dermatology and Elliot Lasser Award from the UCSD Department of Radiology. Dr. Dowd is highly rated in 9 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Arteriovenous Malformation, Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Vein of Galen Aneurysm, Thrombectomy, and Stent Placement.

Dr. Javier Villanueva-Meyer is a neuroradiologist who specializes in brain tumor imaging. He is experienced in CT, MRI and X-ray imaging of the head and neck, brain, spine and peripheral nervous system. He also performs image-guided procedures to diagnose and treat conditions of the nervous system, with techniques including percutaneous biopsy (image-guided skin punctures to obtain samples for analysis), lumbar puncture, myelography (examining the spinal canal), cisternography (examining the fluid around the brain and spinal cord), epidural injection and selective nerve root injection. He has a special interest in improving the quality of care in the practice of radiology and biomedical imaging. Villanueva-Meyer's research focuses on the how best to use molecular imaging techniques for brain cancer patients. He works closely with colleagues in the UCSF Brain Tumor Center to evaluate emerging imaging and interpretation technologies. Villanueva-Meyer earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. At UCSF, he completed a residency in diagnostic radiology and a fellowship in neuroradiology. Also at UCSF, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship funded by the National Institutes of Health as part of a program that prepares doctors to conduct research in areas that will most serve the nation's needs. Dr. Villanueva is highly rated in 6 conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Meningioma, Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RMS), Pediatric Low-Grade Glioma (pLGG), Craniectomy, and Orchiectomy.