OSUMC Radiology Section of Neuroradiology

Donald Chakeres was born in Columbus, Ohio.  He received his BA degree in Chemistry from Capital University in Columbus in 1972, and his MD degree from Ohio State University in 1975.  He did an internship at Riverside Methodist in Columbus in 1972, and his residency in Radiology at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, New Hampshire ending in 1978. His Neuroradiology fellowship was at the University of Oregon Health Science Center in Portland Oregon in 1979.  He returned to Dartmouth Medical Center as an Instructor and he was then appointed the Head of Neuroradiology at the University of Texas in San Antonio as an Associate Professor until 1985.  From 1985 to 2019 he was the Head of Neuroradiology at the Ohio State University Medical Center where the department acquired the second 1.5 Tesla General Electric MRI system in the country.  He was also the director of the 8 Tesla Research Group.  The 8T group led the world in high field MRI for a number of years and established the safety data related to high field MRI that are still utilized. He wrote a book with Petra Schmalbrock and more than 100 papers with many collaborators. He was the President of the American Head and Neck Society. He was also on many Executive Committees of National and International Organizations including the American Society of Neuroradiology and the International Society of Head and Neck Radiology.  He was on the Editorial Boards of many journals including, Radiology, Journal of the American Society of Radiology, and Neuroradiology.  He also began an interest in basic physics and has published a number of papers in that field. He retired in 2019 as a Professor Emeritus. 

Gregory Christoforidis received his medical degree from Ohio State University in 1990.  He did an internship at Mount Carmel Medical Center in 1991 and his residency at the Ohio State University from 1992 to 1995.  He did fellowships in Neuroradiology at Henry Ford in 1997 and the     USZ-Universitats Spital Zurich in 1998. He is board certified in Diagnostic Radiology.  He has expertise in interventional neuroradiology (neuroendovascular surgery), and diagnostic neuroradiology of the brain, head , neck and spine.  He is skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute stroke, aneurysms, arteriovenous fistulas, arteriovenous malformations and other vascular lesions. Dr. Christoforidis has extensive experience with minimally invasive diagnostic and surgical procedures, including thrombolysis, embolectomy, embolisation, aneurysm treatment, AVM treatment, sclerotherapy, spinal augmentation, spinal injections and transcutaneous pain treatment, biopsies, angioplasty, and stenting in the head, neck and spine.  His research focuses on endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke.  He is investigating the formation of collateral vessels in the leptomeningeal tissue surrounding the brain and its role in the acute ischemic stroke.

Eric Bourekas was born in Warren, Ohio.  He did his undergraduate studies in Biochemistry at the Ohio State, and he received his MD degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1989.  He completed a residency at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1993 and a fellowship in Neuroradiology at the University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western in 1995 and fellowship in Interventional Neuroradiology in 1998 at the Cleveland Clinic. He is board-certified by the American Board of Radiology and Neuroradiology.  I hired Eric when I was the Chairman of Radiology and have known him both professionally and personally.  His contributions to Radiology have been immense.  His contributions in the clinical and research aspects of spinal pathology, spinal tumors, and neuroimaging are nationally recognised. He has served as Vice Chair of Radiology/Clinical Operations and Chief of Neuroradiology at OSUMC.  Dr. Bourekas is now the Chief of Staff, a position to which he was elected by his peers at the medical center a recognition of his advocacy for physicians in all departments, and the first radiologist to hold this position. He has served in many positions including President of Faculty Staff Council for the Medical Center and Senator in the Ohio State University Senate.  He has been a recipient of many teaching awards, and he was recently recognized as a Master Clinician by The Mazzaferri-Ellison Society, an Honorary Society which recognizes outstanding clinicians who excel in clinical practice, teaching, mentoring/role modeling, professionalism, leadership and service to the profession and the OSU Medical Center.  He has also received an Honorary Recognition at the University of West Attica in Athens Greece for his contributions to medicine at large. 

This post if dedicated to Dr. Lucy Freedy, who served as the Vice-Chair of the Department of Radiology during my tenure as the Chairman from 1992-2004.  Lucy was a hard working attending who genuinely cared about the education of the students and residents and also for providing exemplary care to our patients.  Her specialty was breast imaging, but she selflessly contributed wherever the department needed support.  Lucy's dedication and compassion made a lasting impact on all members at the medical center.  Lucy died on March 27, 2026 in her sleep. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all of us who had the privilege of knowing and working with her.

Radiology Department History at The Ohio State University

Wilhelm Röntgen discovered x-rays in 1895, and soon after in 1986, Thomas Edison developed the first fluoroscope.  These advancements marked the beginning of medical imaging.  Radiology's timeline has several key milestones such as the introduction of film in 1918, ultrasound in 1955, computed tomography in 1967, and MRI in 1972.

The Department of Radiology at the The Ohio State University has a long history of leadership in imaging.  In the early years it was likely a division of the Department of Surgery.  It formally appeared as a distinct department in the College of Medicine in 1947. 

The first Radiology Chairman was Dr. Hugh Means who took office in 1947, when the department began offering electives to medical students.

A towering figure in the department was Dr. William G. Myers, a pioneer in Nuclear Medicine.  He was known as the "godfather of cyclotron", and he introduced 11 radioisotopes including cobalt-60 for the treatment of cancer.  In 1952, he introduced Gold-198 for permanent brachytherapy seed implantation, contributing to his legacy as a leader in radioactive isotope applications in medicine.

In the 60s Dr. Sidney W. Nelson became the Chairman. He was a prominent radiologist recognized nationally, holding positions such as President of the Association of University Radiologist in 1965-66, and being was an examiner of the American Board of Radiology. A milestone for the department was that it hosted the 16th annual meeting of the Association of University Radiologists in 1968. Progress in the department continued when Dr. A Feimanis, A J Christoforidis and D. G. Spigos were Department Chairmen and Dr. Reinhard Gahbauer, Dr. John Olsen, and Dr. Charles Mueller were Division heads.  Their contributions will be discussed in future posts. 

The 1980s, the 1990s and the early years of the new century it was a period of technological advancements.  The department continued to lead in neuroimaging bringing the first 1.5T MRI in Ohio which was a precursor to the development of the first ultra-high-field 8 Tesla MRI unit in the world. It also was leader in ultrasound and interventional radiology, nuclear medicine and radiation oncology.  In the 1994 and the department was transformed from a film based to a film-less after the introduction of digital imaging and PACS (picture archiving and communication software), first within the department, the intensive care units and the ED. Another important development was the offer of tele-radiology service to rural hospitals.  

This post is dedicated to Drs. Meyers and Nelson, whose hard work and innovations served as the cornerstones for the department's growth in the                                     decades that followed. 

Ohio State Medical Center - Chiefs of Staff

 2009 - Edward Levine / Internal Medicine-gastroenterology

Dr. Levine is a distinguished gastroenterologist with over 40 years of experience in the field. He earned his MD from the Ohio State University School of Medicine in 1981.  Following his graduation, he completed his internship, residency and fellowship in gastroenterology at OSUMC.  He further honed his experience with an additional fellowship at John's Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland.  

Throughout his career, Dr. Levine emphasized effective communication with the patients, attentively listening to their concerns and thoroughly informing them about their health.

In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Levine has held leadership roles, including serving as the Chief of Staff at the Ohio State University Hospital from 2009 to 2011 and as the Interim Division Director of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition from 2011 to 2013.

I have been fortunate to know and worked with Dr. Levine since I joined Ohio State Medical Center in 1992, and I remain grateful for the compassionate  care he provided to my family.

2007 - Amy Pope Harmon / Internal Medicine 

Dr. Harmon is a Professor Emerita at the Ohio State University. During the years she practiced was know for her expertise in Pulmonary Medicine and critical care. 

2005 - Scott Melvin / General Surgery

Dr. Scott Melvin is a Professor of Surgery and the Vice Chairman of the department at Montefiore Einstein University Hospital in the Bronx, New York City. He is nationally  recognized for the use of minimally invasive approaches to the management of gastrointestinal diseases.  He has published expensively in refereed journals about endoscopic treatment of diseases of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas as well as in patients with renal transplants. 

When I joined OSU, Dr. Melvin was a fellow in gastrointestinal surgery and later an attending. During the years I worked with him, I witnessed firsthand not only his exceptional competence, but also his deep compassion and genuine warmth toward patients and colleagues alike. Patients in the Bronx are truly fortunate to have Dr. Melvin caring for them.

2003 Garth Essig / Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Essig was born in the historic city of Longmont, Colorado, known for its outdoor beauty. He grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, and completed his undergraduate studies at DePaul University and earned his MD degree from the Ohio School of Medicine.  He was an Obstetrician and Gynecologist for nearly 50 years at the OSUMC, where he dedicated his life to the medical education and clinical medicine. Over the course of his distinguished career. he taught over 9,000 medical students and delivered almost 10,000 children.  Dr. Essig sadly passed away at the age of 80 in 2016. 

This post is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Garth Essig, a remarkable physician and an even more remarkable human being. Those of us who had the privilege of knowing him admired his wisdom, his kindness, and his unwavering dedication to his patients and colleagues. We were truly fortunate to call him not only a colleague, but a friend. His compassion, integrity, and generosity of spirit left a lasting mark on all of us. Dr. Essig is deeply missed, and his legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched.  

OSUMC Chiefs of Staff

 2017 - Jon Walker / Internal Medicine - Gastroenterology

Dr. Walker joined Ohio Gastroenterology Group, Inc in 2019. He earned his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati and subsequently completed his residency and fellowship at Ohio University. He completed an Advanced Endoscopy fellowship at the Medical College of South Carolina. 

2015 - Elmahdi Elkhammas - Surgery transplants

Dr. Elkhammas is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Surgery at the Ohio State University, effective September 1, 2020.  Dr. Elkhammas completed his surgery residency at the OSUMC from 1987 to 1991.  He then joint the faculty and became a prominent transplant surgeon, and published research in the field. Upon his retirement he commutes to his home country Libya, and he is involved in quality, ethics, and medical education issues.

2013 - Douglas Sharre - Neurology

Dr. Sharre is a Clinical Professor of Neurology and the Medical Director of the Cognitive and Memory Disorders at the Ohio State University. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal lobar degenerations.  Dr. Sharre is among the experts in his field.  His patients appreciate his concern and his quiet demeanor.

2011 - Patrick Vaccaro - Vascular Surgery

Dr. Vaccaro received his MD degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years.  Dr. Vaccaro is affiliated with several hospitals in Columbus, including James Cancer Hospital and Nationwide Children's.

     This post is dedicated to past and future OSUMC Chiefs of Staff

Ohio State Medical Center - Chiefs of Staff

The function of the Chief of Staff at OSUMC is to act as a liaison between the medical staff and administration, lead medical staff self-governance, and oversee quality of care and medical staff operations.  This includes serving on hospital committees, calling and presiding over general staff meetings, and ensuring compliance with accreditation and other regulations. They are also responsible for advising the medical center board and acting as a spokesperson for the medical staff.

2005 - Eric Bourekas, Radiology / Neuroradiology

Dr. Bourekas received his MD from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1989.  He completed a residence at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1993, and a fellowship at the University Hospitals of Cleveland in 1995.  He is board-certified by the American Board of Radiology in Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology.  I hired Eric when I was the Chairman of Radiology and have known him both professionally and personally.  His contributions to Radiology have been immense.  He has been a neuroradiologist since 1995, focusing on clinical and research aspects of spinal pathology, spinal tumors, and neuroimaging.  He has served as Vice Chair of Radiology/Clinical Operations and Chief of Neuroradiology. He is Professor of Radiology, Neurology and Neurosurgery at the OSUMC.  Dr. Bourekas is now the Chief of Staff, a position to which he was elected by his peers at the medical center a recognition of his advocacy for physicians in all departments. 

2023 Eric Adkins / Emergency Medicine

Dr. Adkins completed his MD degree at West Virginia University in 2002. Upon completion he did a five-year residency in both emergency medicine and internal medicine at Christiana Health Services in Delaware in 2007, where he served as Chief Resident. On the academic side, he is an Assistant Professor of Emergency and Critical Care as well as co-creator and Associate Program Director for the Emergency Medicine & Internal Medicine Residency Program.  His focus is on patient safety, quality improvement, critical care and ultrasound in the Emergency Department. 

2021 Lisa Keder / Obstetrics and Gynecology

Dr. Keder is an obstetrician/gynecologist with particular interest in women's reproductive health. She specializes in general obstetrics and gynecology and she provides personal care to her patients.  She is passionate about her field and she is educating tomorrow's health care leaders and.

2019 Minka Schofield / ENT

Dr. Schofield has more than two decades of experience and she a board-certified in Otolaryngology and she is a head and neck surgeon. She was Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at The Ohio State University-College of Medicine.  While at OSU, she held multiple leadership roles including Director of the General Otolaryngology Division, Medical Director of Surgical Operations, and Vice Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  She served as the Chief of Staff at OSUMC during the Covid-19 pandemic, acting as liaison between the senior leadership and the medical staff.

This post is dedicated to all physicians and nurses who served during the critical period of Covid-19 pandemic.  Their dedication transcended borders, languages, and cultures, uniting them in a singular mission: to heal, comfort, and protect humanity. From the big University hospitals to remote clinics in rural communities, doctors worked tirelessly, often at    great personal risk, to save lives and alleviate suffering.

Ohio State Hospital Directors

Reed Fraley was born in 1945, in Tiftin, a small town in the northeast part of Ohio. After completing high school in 1964, Reed attended West Point. It was there that he learned how to tolerate stress and how to command.  When he graduated, he spend five years on active duty and one year in the reserves. Reed married Mel the day after his graduation, and together they took assignments in Europe and Vietnam.  While in Vietnam, he applied for graduate school in Hospital Administration, hoping to acquire business skills and serve the country in a different way.  He joined the OSU Hospital as an assistant to Bernie Lachner.  He became responsible for the main hospital and the operating rooms.  His next move was as the CEO of the Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas for six years.  When he joined OSUMC the main issue was access to the hospital from 315 as Riverside Methodist has three exits and the OSU hospital had none. There were issues with the buildings as who pays for them and how to name them. There was the issue of the practice plan. He did not succeed in getting an exit but he kept making progress step by step. He retired in 2004, and in 2005, he cut the ribbon to open the exit.  Another accomplishment was the creation of green spaces with grass nearby the hospitals.  When he retired, he worked for the Ohio Hospital Association for about 8 years. He was the liaison with the 13 largest systems such as Trinity, The Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Miami Valley.  The next phase in their lives was when Reed and his wife, Mel, opened a charming bed and breakfast - something his wife always wanted, and this time, Reed follow her lead.  It was a pleasant experience for both, away from the politics of big medical centers.  When I joined OSUMC as the Chairman of Radiology in 1992, I interacted with Reed in many projects.  He was always supportive, trustworthy, and a pleasure to work with.

Kam Sigafoos grew up in Zanesville, Ohio, and attended public schools there. She graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a bachelor's degree in International Studies. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a Master's in Public Administration and another Master's in Hospital and Health Services Administration. Kam spent virtually her entire career working with the OSU physicians and hospitals, closely collaborating with the Radiology Department. I was fortunate to work with Kam; our meetings were always productive. Kam retired as the executive director of the hospitals. 

Larry Anstine was born and raised in Newark, Ohio a nice town which is about 40 miles east of Columbus.  He did both his undergraduate and graduate studies at Ohio State University.  He received his undergraduate degree in business administration in 1982, and his Masters of Health Administration (MHA) in 1988.  After working for consulting firm Arthur Andersen, in Dallas, Texas for two year, he was hired in 1990 by Reed Fraley as director of clinics and practice plans at Ohio State.  Larry considers Reed as a great administrator and his mentor.  Larry worked in various areas of the OSUMC including professional services(radiology, lab, pharmacy) and the Outreach Network.  When OSU acquired Park Medical Center from Quorum in 1999, Reed asked him to lead the transition.  It became University Hospital East.  The goal was to bring high quality academic medicine services to the east side of Columbus community, a task that was achieved.

In 2004, he left UHE to help open the Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital.  In 2005, he blended the University Hospitals and Ross Hospitals leadership team.

After retiring from OSUMC, he worked for 8 years at the University of California Irvine Health System in a variety of capacities including interim COO and CEO. He retired from UCI in 2023. 

His wife and he now reside in Sarasota, Florida, and spend their summers in Coldwater, Michigan.  Larry is a lifelong Buckeye, and he is grateful that during his time at OSUMC worked with great people. Most of people who interacted with Larry remember him affectionately; I was one of them.  It was privilege working with a competent, kind and trustworthy individual  like him.

Elizabeth Seely was born in Frankfurt, Germany, while her father was serving in the U.S. Army.  The family moved back to the States when she was 3 months old, settling in Maryland. She grew up in several places in Maryland and North Carolina.  She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Wake Forrest and she was induced into Phi Beta Kappa and earned her Master of Health Administration degree from the Ohio State University and she was the recipient of Bernard J. Lachner award.  Larry Anstine hired Mrs. Seely who also worked with Kam Sigafoos.  Elizabeth considers Reed, Kam, and Larry wonderful role models and mentors.  Mrs. Seely assumed the position of Chief Administrative Officer in 2017. The scope of her operational responsibility includes 1,100 inpatient; 50,000 annual admissions; and 25,000 annual surgeries; 132,000 emergency department visits; and 800,000+ outpatient visits.  Prior to her present role, she served for 10 years as executive director of University Hospital East, leading the hospital to a 37% growth in admissions and improvement in patient satisfaction and excellent quality metrics.  Her effective fiscal and resource management also resulted in positive operating margins at UH East.  

She is a founding board member and current chair of Partners Achieving Community Transformation (PACT), guiding a $10-million commitment by OSU to create a healthy, financially and environmentally sustainable community where residents have access to safe and affordable housing, quality health care, education and employment opportunities  on the Near East Side of Columbus.  

Before her time at UHE, Elizabeth served for 16 years at University Hospital in positions of progressive leadership, culminating in Associate Executive director of University Hospital and the Ross Heart Hospital.  She currently is preparing  for the opening of the new University Hospital on February 22, 2026 and on that day 425 inpatients will move to the new spectacular hospital.  

I interacted with Elizabeth during my years as the Chairman of Radiology, and I know first hand how caring she is to the patients and employees at large.  The progress of OSUMC during her tenure has made it the best in Ohio and the country.

                          Authored by

                                    D. G. Spigos, MD

                                   Professor Emeritus

  

This post is dedicated to the Reed, Kam, Larry and Elizabeth the four hospital administrators under whose direction the University Health Care System grew in a spectacular way, to the benefit of the patients in                                Columbus and the State of Ohio.

Ohio State Hospital Medical Directors

Manuel Tzagournis was the first medical director of the OSU hospitals before becoming the Acting Dean in 1980, then the Dean in 1981 until 1985, and finally the Vice President of Health Sciences in 1994 until 2002.

Hagop Mekhjian had his education at the American University of Beirut from which he got a BA in 1958 and his MD in 1962.  He did an internship and a Residency in Internal Medicine between 1961 and 1964 in his home country.  He continued his studies in the United States; in 1965 he did a residency in Gastroenterology at Lahey Clinic in Boston, and in 1966 did a Fellowship in Gastroenterology at Cincinnati General Hospital.  In 1967, he became a Research Assistant in Gastroenterology at the Mayo Clinic. Between 1970 and 1977, he served in the Army in Falls Church, Virginia.  He ascended the academic ladder from Assistant Professor of Medicine in 1969 to Professor in 1988 and Professor Emeritus in 2010.  He is licensed to practice medicine in the States of Florida and Ohio. He was the Medical Director of the Ohio State Hospitals between the years 1985 and 2010.  The Ohio State created an Endowed Lectureship in his name in 2015.  He authored or co-authored 132 papers in referee journals. He was an active researcher with 23 awards.  Hagop lives in Columbus, Ohio with his loving wife of 50 years Janice, their two children and their grandchildren.

Andrew Thomas, got a Bachelor degree in History and Science from Harvard University in 1991. He earned his MD degree from Ohio State University College of Medicine in 1995. It was the respect his grandparent had for their physians that inspire him to become a doctor.  Andy did an internal medicine residency at OSUMC from July 1995 to June 1998. He received a MBA from Fisher College of Medicine in 2000.  He was the Assistant Medical Director from 1999 to 2005, and Associate Director until 2010 and Medical Director at OSU Hospitals since 2013.  Dr. Thomas is Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine.  He has published 48 papers in peer-review journals.  His colleagues describe him as a collaborate, and thoughtful leader.  As the chief clinical officer of the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, his role is the oversight of inpatient and outpatient services and assuring collaboration between departments.  Dr. Thomas still sees patients, something uncommon, but admirable for a busy administrator. I knew Andy since the time he was a medical resident.  He was intelligent and caring, and I will always remember what he told me when I converted Radiology to a filmless department, that its impact to the resident training and delivery of correct care was immense. Andy says that he has spent some of the best years of his adult life at Ohio State and in Columbus, with his wife Lisa and their three children. 

OSUMC is fortunate to have had leaders like Drs. Manuel Tzagournis, Hagop Mehkjian and and Andrew Thomas 

                                     Authored by D. G. Spigos, MD

                        Professor Emeritus and former Chairman

                                  Department of Radiology 1992-2004

It is dedicated to Manuel, Hagop and Andy who in addition for being               colleagues were and have remained great friends for life.