OSUMC Radiology - Section of Abdominal Imaging

 The evolution of abdominal progressed from basic anatomical x-rays to highly detailed, functional, and real time visualizations.  In the late 1800s and early 1900s, abdominal imaging relied on plain radiographs, which could detect bowel obstruction, free air, calcifications and some foreign bodies, but had limited soft-tissue detail. Starting in the mid-1900s, barium allowed for better visualization of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small and large bowel. Additionally, intravenous pyelography improved visualization of the urinary system.  In the 1960s, ultrasound, a radiation free modality, became useful for the detection of gallbladder disease, liver pathology, ascites, hydronephrosis, and became the primary diagnostic modality in obstetrical imaging. In the mid-1970s and onward, computed tomography (CT) revolutionized abdominal imaging by provided cross-sectional detail.  It became the key tool for trauma, appendicitis, pancreatitis, staging for malignancies, and vascular disease. In the 1880s and onward, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offered superior tissue imaging without ionising radiation.  It was found to be useful for lesions of the liver, biliary imaging, and for imaging of liver lesions. biliary imaging and for imaging of the pancreas an organ which is not easy to image.  In the 1990s, CT angiography, CT and MR enterography, and image-guided biopsies and drainages expanded both diagnosis and treatment. Recently Virtual colonoscopy a less invasive way to check for cancer of the colon was added to the diagnostic armamentarium.

Dr. James Bova was born in 1947 in Cincinnati, OH.  Soon after graduating for medical school in Des Moines, Iowa, he joined the Army to complete his medical training, allowing his family to live in many cities across the United States.  Jim, who was the chief of abdominal imaging, retired in 2007 after 22 years of service as an Associate Professor of Radiology. When he retired, he and his wife Kathy moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. Jim was a talented musician, having played the banjo for many years.  He was staunch supporter of equal rights for all, and his compassion for others led him to form deep relationships with those around him. Jim passed peacefully in 2023.