Suhny Abbara, M.D.

Suhny Abbara, M.D.

Chief, Cardiothoracic Imaging | Director, Cardiothoracic Imaging Fellowship Program | Director, 3d Imaging Research

  • Radiology - Chest & Cardiac

Biography

Suhny Abbara, M.D., is a Professor of Radiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Chief of its Cardiothoracic Imaging Division. He also serves as Chief of Cardiothoracic Imaging at Parkland Health & Hospital System. His clinical interests include cardiovascular imaging and lung cancer screening.

Originally from Germany, Dr. Abbara earned his medical degree at Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf. He completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., and in surgery at the University of Hawaii Surgical Residency Program in Honolulu. He received advanced training in cardiac imaging through a fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Prior to joining the UT Southwestern faculty in 2013, Dr. Abbara was Director of Clinical Cardiac Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital. At Harvard Medical School, he was Director of Education for the Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (MR) and Computed Tomography (CT) Program and an Associate Professor of Radiology.

Research and clinical practice

Dr. Abbara focuses his research on cardiac CT and its uses in surgical procedures, identification of imaging biomarkers to predict post-procedure outcomes, and spectral detector CT. In the clinical setting, he specializes in thoracic imaging, cardiac MRI, and cardiac CTA, as well as coronary calcium scoring, which is an imaging test that helps determine whether an asymptomatic patient is at low, intermediate, or high risk for heart attack.

Dr. Abbara is an active member of numerous national and international professional organizations, including the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, for which he serves on the executive committee and is the President-elect (President beginning in July 2018), and the American College of Radiology, for which he chairs the Appropriateness Criteria expert panels on Cardiac Imaging. Dr. Abbara is past President of the Certification Board of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography.

Educating, editing, and lecturing

Dr. Abbara has authored or co-authored more than 230 peer-reviewed publications, four textbooks, and several book chapters. He is Associate Editor of the Journal for Cardiovascular Computed Tomography and an editorial board member for the Journal of Thoracic Imaging and other journals. Dr. Abbara has been invited to present lectures at medical and educational institutions throughout North America, including Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Emory University in Atlanta, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the University of Ottawa in Canada, Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Ignacio Chavez National Heart Institute in Mexico City, the University of Toronto in Canada, Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and the University of Colorado in Denver.

Education & Training
  • Medical School - Heinrich-Heine University (1989-1995)
  • Internship - Heinrich-Heine University (1995-1997), Vascular Surgery
  • Internship - University of Hawaii Integrated Surgical Residency Program (2000-2001), Surgery
  • Fellowship - Massachusetts General Hospital (2002-2003), Cardiac Imaging
  • Residency - MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (2001-2002), Radiology
  • Residency - MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (1997-2000), Radiology
Professional Associations & Affiliations
  • American College of Radiology
  • American Roentgen Ray Society
  • Dallas County Medical Society
  • New England Roentgen Ray Society
  • Radiological Society of North America
  • Society for Thoracic Imaging
  • Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography
  • Texas Medical Association
  • Texas Radiological Society
Honors & Awards
  • FACR 2016, American College of Radiology
  • Golden Apple Award 2016, UTSW Department of Radiology
  • Honored Educator Award 2014, Radiological Society of North America
  • Volunteer Service Award 2014, American Board of Radiology
  • Editor's Recognition Award 2013, RadioGraphics
  • Fellow 2011, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography
  • Certificate of Merit 2010, Radiological Society of North America
  • Cum Laude Awards (2) 2009, Radiological Society of North America
  • Editors' Recognition Award for Distinction in Reviewing 2009, Journal of Thoracic Imaging
  • Top 10 Cited Papers 2008, European Journal of Radiology
  • Cum Laude Award 2007, Society of Thoracic Radiology
  • Editors' Recognition Award for Outstanding Service as a Reviewer 2006, European Journal of Radiology
  • Outstanding Academic Research Award 2006, Siemens
  • Certificate of Appreciation 2005, Radiological Society of North America
  • Executive Council Award 2003, American Roentgen Ray Society
  • Partners in Excellence Award 2003, Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Chief Resident, Department of Radiology 2001, Georgetown University
  • Homer L. Twigg Outstanding Resident Award 2000, Georgetown University
  • Nycomed Amersham Fellowship Award 1999, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine/Nycomed Amersham
  • Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award 1999, Radiological Society of North America
  • Cum Laude Certificate for Dissertation 1996, University of Düsseldorf, Germany
Books & Publications
Research
  • Cardiac Computed Tomography
  • Identification of Imaging Biomarkers to predict post surgical and post minimally invasive procedure outcomes and to predict anesthesia outcomes
  • Lung Cancer Screening and Early Detection
  • Single Energy, Dual Layer Spectral Computed Tomography (CT) and Dual Energy CT