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Savita Puri, M.B.B.S., M.P.H.

Savita Puri, M.B.B.S., M.P.H.

Imaging Sciences

UR Medicine Faculty The University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group (URMFG) consists of over 900 specialist and primary care providers spanning 19 departments. URMFG is certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
Accountable Health Partner Accountable Health Partners (AHP) is a network of over 2,000 community and UR medical faculty and a dozen leading hospitals throughout the region. AHP offers a full range of care.
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About Me

I strive for excellence in educating and making a positive impact on the preparation of future Radiologists in a non-threatening environment.

Educational practices in the 21st century require more time for teaching and learning, yet faculty commitment is increasingly diverted to other conce...
I strive for excellence in educating and making a positive impact on the preparation of future Radiologists in a non-threatening environment.

Educational practices in the 21st century require more time for teaching and learning, yet faculty commitment is increasingly diverted to other concerns. I have tried, in this challenging environment, to improve my skills to teach so as to be a role model and to positively impact the preparation of future Radiologists. I have tried to base my teaching on a foundation of the scientific knowledge I have acquired throughout my career and on this foundation base, I have encouraged residents to develop sound clinical judgment, communicate effectively with the referring physicians and the patients we care for. I mentored many residents with research which have been published and presented at numerous national scientific conferences. Above all, I try to teach "we do not look just at bones, tendons and organs, but we treat people".

Professional Background

EDUCATION
1963-64 Pre-med Delhi University, New Delhi, India
1964-68 M.D. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
2010 MPH Masters of Public Health | University of Rochester School of
Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, New York<...
EDUCATION
1963-64 Pre-med Delhi University, New Delhi, India
1964-68 M.D. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
2010 MPH Masters of Public Health | University of Rochester School of
Medicine & Dentistry, Rochester, New York

POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING
1969 Rotating Intern All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi,
India
1970 Medical Resident All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New
Delhi, India
1971 Research Fellow All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi,
India
1971-72 Medical Resident Muhlenberg Hospital, Major Affiliate of Rutgers
University, New Jersey (R1)
1972-73 Medical Resident New England Medical Center, Affiliated Hospitals,
Boston, MA (R2)
1973-75 NIH Fellow Diagnostic Radiology (Nuclear Medicine), Yale
University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
4/7-6/14/03 PET Fellowship Yale University, Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology New Haven, CT PET Facility, West Haven Veteran Administration Hospital

Certified Specialties

Nuclear Medicine - American Board of Nuclear Medicine

Faculty Appointments

Professor of Clinical Imaging Sciences - Department of Imaging Sciences (SMD)

Credentials

Residency & Fellowship

Fellowship, Duke University Eye Center. 2002 - 2002

Fellowship, Nuclear Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center. 2002 - 2002

Fellowship, Nuclear Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine. 1973 - 1975

Residency, Nuclear Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine. 1973 - 1975

Residency, Internal Medicine, VA Boston Healthcare System-Jamaica Plain GME. 1972 - 1973

Internship, Internal Medicine, Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center. 1971 - 1972

Education

MPH | University of Rochester. 2010

MBBS | All India Institute of Medical Sciences (India). 1968

Awards

Letter of Appreciation. 1997

Monroe County Powers Chapter 15 Award. 1995

Excellence in Teamwork. 1994

Vice President Gore's Hammer Award. 1994

Award of Merit. 1993

Citation by New York State Assembly for Outstanding Citizen Worthy of Esteem. 1993

Commendation Award for Commitment to Excellence and Continuous Improvement in the quality of medical staff. 1990

Distinguished Service Award. 1990

Bronze Medal for the exhibit "Value of Posterior Oblique Views in Perfusion Lung Scanning. 1975

Research

To date the focus of my research efforts has been the applied clinical research. This includes my own clinical research, as well as the medical students and residents-in-training I mentor. Throughout my professional career I have been involved in guiding the medical students and the residents to c...
To date the focus of my research efforts has been the applied clinical research. This includes my own clinical research, as well as the medical students and residents-in-training I mentor. Throughout my professional career I have been involved in guiding the medical students and the residents to critically evaluate and identify existing gaps in the current medical knowledge, formulate a research question, develop a hypothesis he/she would like to test, and then develop a systematic plan to test the hypothesis. In addition, during my teaching exercises, both one-on-one and the didactic lectures, I encourage the residents to step out of their comfort zone, probe deeply into the unexpected imaging results and if not much is known about the findings on hand, follow through with the clinical outcome and ultimately share the unusual findings with the Radiology community by publishing it in the scientific literature. Several of our residents, and a few medical students, have published and presented the results of their clinical research at the national Radiology conferences.

At a personal level, I myself investigated the reasons for unnecessary over-utilization of CT scans in the Emergency Department setting and the associated radiation related cancer risk. I developed a research proposal and obtained the IRRB approval (see attached power point presentation). The research has been completed and data analyzed. Currently one of our radiology residents, with my guidance, is working on obtaining an IRRB approval to investigate incidence and prevalence of second primary tumor during PET/CT lymphoma staging work up.

Ultimately my goal is to continue to ignite and foster a spirit among my students and residents to ask probing questions, develop a disciplined mind to find answers to those questions through systematic investigation and add to the existing knowledge base.

Publications

Journal Articles

Multimodality imaging features of malignant and benign FDG-avid pancreatic lesions and their impact on clinical management

Thompson, Joel; Jones, Luann; Puri, Savita;.

J Nucl Med. 2013; 54(Supplement 2): 1294.

PET/CT Characterization of Adrenal Masses, Their Mimics, and More

Drumsta D; Strang J; Puri S.

AJR. 2012; 198(Supplement 5).

Incidence of second primary neoplasm detected in lymphoma patients undergoing F-18FDG PET/CT scans

Mironov O; Lostracco T; Strang J; Puri S.

J Nucl Med. 2012; 53(Supplement 1): 1371.

Spectrum of Lymphoma: Extranodal Manifestations of a Ubiquitous Mimic

LoStracco T, Gill G, Sidhu R, Puri S, Almast, J.

AJR. 2012; 198(5 Supplement).

FDG Avid Small Bowel Lesions: Significance in an oncologic populations

Puri S, Jones L.

J Nucl Med. 2012; 53(Supplement): 1320.

Why ED providers elect to use CT and not V/Q scan in low clinical probability or pulmonary embolis

Puri, S; Hu, R; Voci, S.

J of Nucl Med. 2011; 52 (Supplement 1): 1405.

"Multimodality thyroid imaging of unusual thyroid disorders with clinical, biological and pathological correlation"

Dockery K, Puri S. 2011; 52.

J Nucl Med. 2011; 52((Supplement 1)): 1009.

FDG PET/CT manifestations of hematopoietic malignancies of the breast.

Ginat DT, Puri S

Academic radiology.. 2010 August 17 (8):1026-30. Epub 06/14/2010.

FDG-PET on the trail of an unsuspected primary malignancy in the breast.

Dockery KF, Puri S, Qazi R, Davis D

Clinical nuclear medicine.. 2008 March 33 (3):175-80. Epub 1900 01 01.

Pancreatic pseudocyst observed on F-18 FDG PET imaging.

Huang B, Puri S

Clinical nuclear medicine.. 2005 April 30 (4):259-61. Epub 1900 01 01.

Positron Emission tomography (PET) in Lymphoma – Its Place in the Hierarchical Model of Efficacy

Puri S, Davis D, Qazi R et al.

J Nuc Med. 2005; 46: 94.

Comparison of fluorescent and pertechnetate thyroid scans in patients with prior head and neck radiation

Puri S; Spencer RP; Vakili A.

Proceedings of the Third World Congress of Nuclear Medicine and Biology. 1982; 1: 791-793.

Role of coronary artery disease and collateral circulation in redistribution of thallium-201.

Cooper R, Puri S, Francis CK, Spencer RP

Clinical nuclear medicine.. 1980 July 5 (7):292-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

A. Sex difference in metabolism of indomethacin

Wong, S.H., Spencer, R.P., Puri, S. and Weaver.

Physiology. 1980; 39: 538.

Myocardial scintigraphy with a new radiopharmaceuticakTc 99m labeled Thiamine Pyrophosphate

Hosain F, Puri S, Hosain P, Suresh K, Moskowitz S, Spitznagle LA and Spencer RP. Proceedings of eighth European Congress of Cardiology.

Proceedings of eighth European Congress of Cardiology. 1980; .

Radiographic and radionuclide appearance of Warthins tumors

Reiskin, A., Puri, S.

Con. Med. 1978; 42: 503-506.

Radiogallium accumulation in a T-cell lymphoma

Dhawan, V.M., Antar, M.A., Spencer, R.P. and Puri, S.

International J. Nuc. Med. and Biol. 1978; 5: 126-128.

The "sink phenomenon" during radiogallium imaging

Spencer RP; Puri S; Vakili A and Antar MA. Meeting, Washington, D.C.

Proceedings of the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology. 1978; : 30.

Mole Pregnancy and thyroid function in Iran

Vakili A, Nezammafi S, Puri S and Spencer RP. 1978. . Proceedings of the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology meeting, Washington, D.C.

Proceedings of the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology. 1978; : 148.

Assessment of 99mTc pyrophosphate scintigrams in diagnosis and localization of myocardial infarction.

Puri S, Moskowitz H, Aronson AL

International journal of nuclear medicine and biology. 1978 5 (2-3):109-13. Epub 1900 01 01.

Abdominal hemangioma: diagnostic use of radiocolloid scans during steroid therapy.

Puri S, Lepow M, Spencer RP, Westcott JL

International journal of nuclear medicine and biology. 1978 5 (2-3):117, 119-20. Epub 1900 01 01.

&quot;Reversible&quot; functional asplenia in combined immunodeficiency.

Spencer RP, Suresh K, Pearson HA, Puri S

International journal of nuclear medicine and biology. 1978 5 (2-3):125-6, 127. Epub 1900 01 01.

Hepatic scans in spontaneous regression of neuroblastoma.

Puri S, Spencer RP

International journal of nuclear medicine and biology. 1978 5 (2-3):129, 131. Epub 1900 01 01.

Iodine distribution within the thyroid determined by fluorescence scan: Comparison with the pertechnetate scan trapping function

Puri, S; Spencer, R.P.

Physiologist. 1977; 20: 77.

Non-Visualized kidney during 99 mTc-DTPA study due to anterior displacement by tumor

Kolli, S., Puri, S. and Spencer, R.P.

J. Clin. Nucl. Med. 1977; : 454.

Brain imaging in primary intracranial neuroblastoma

Puri, S. and Spencer, R.P.

J. Clin. Nucl. Med. 1976; 1: 34.

The usefulness of posterior oblique views in the perfusion lung scan

Caride, V.J., Puri, S., Slavin, J.D., Lange, R.C. and Gottschalk, A.

Radiology. 1976; 121: 661-671.

Repeated &quot;rapid resolution&quot; of segmental defect on perfusion lung scan.

Puri S, Spencer RP

Connecticut medicine.. 1975 February 39 (2):86-7. Epub 1900 01 01.

Prostaglandins in mice with neuroblastoma.

Puri S, Belliveau RE, Spencer RP, Bachur NR

Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine.. 1975 January 16 (1):83-5. Epub 1900 01 01.

Radionuclide evaluation of cardiomegaly.

Freedman GS, Puri S

Connecticut medicine.. 1974 November 38 (11):484-6. Epub 1900 01 01.

Positive brain scan in toxoplasmosis.

Puri S, Spencer RP, Gordon ME

Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine.. 1974 July 15 (7):641-2. Epub 1900 01 01.

Detection of veso colonic fistula on bone scan

Puri, S.; Cardi, V; and Spencer, R.P.

Conn. Med. 1974; 38(10).

Benign and Malignant Breast and Axillary Lesions: F18 FDG PET/CT with Pathological Correlation

Son H, Song K, Puri S, Strang JG.

Radiographics. .

Books

CRC Handbook of Nuclear Medicine (1980)

Chapter: Pericardium

Authors: Puri S

Publisher: CRC Press 1980

CRC Handbook of Nuclear Medicine (1980)

Chapter: Pharmaceutical in Cardiovascular Nuclear Medicine

Authors: Puri, S

Publisher: CRC Press 1980

CRC Handbook of Nuclear Medicine (1980)

Chapter: Cardiovascular Section

Authors: Puri, S

Publisher: CRC 1980

Therapy In Nuclear Medicine. (1978)

Chapter: Intralesional therapy

Authors: Puri, S. and Spencer, R.P

Publisher: Grune and Stratton Co, New York 1978