Avneesh Chhabra, M.D., M.B.A.

Biography

Avneesh Chhabra, M.D., M.B.A., FACR, is Professor of Radiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Chief of its Musculoskeletal Radiology Division. He also serves as Chief of Musculoskeletal Radiology at Parkland Memorial Hospital. His clinical interests include magnetic resonance neurography (MRN), sports imaging, rheumatology, infection, and sarcoma imaging, and related image-guided interventions.

Dr. Chhabra is double board-certified in Radiology from Delhi University, India, and Drexel University, and has fellowship training in musculoskeletal radiology from Temple University. He has an Executive M.B.A. in healthcare leadership and management from the University of Texas and is a certified professional coach for career and professional development. He is a clinical scholar and is a distinguished teaching professor with SHINE Academy and Southwest Academy of Teachers (SWAT) awards.

Research interests

Dr. Chhabra focuses his research on refining musculoskeletal ultrasound, computed tomography, and MRI practices; and the novel use of 3D MRI and 3D CT joint imaging in sports medicine, MR neurography, and multiparametric sarcoma imaging, infection, whole-body MRI, and rheumatology imaging. He is working on new forms of image-guided pain management, including minimally invasive image-guided injections and nerve ablations.

Dr. Chhabra is actively involved in 3D MRI and 3D CT research on sports imaging, tumors, arthritis, and AI-software development and usage for bone injuries and bone-joint alignment measurements. He is the Soft-tissue RADS Chair for ACR and is involved in crafting and multicenter validations of various musculoskeletal reporting and data systems like ST-RADS, OT-RADS, MSKI-RADS, and NS-RADS. These scoring systems allow standardized reporting and longitudinal tracking of patient outcomes with data-informed approaches for musculoskeletal diagnostic care of soft tissue and bone tumors, infections, and peripheral neuropathies.

New approaches to patient care

Dr. Chhabra provides patient care at the University Hospital Radiology Clinic, where he translates his research into clinical practices by deploying novel MRN and 3D MRI techniques to map peripheral neuropathy and internal joint derangements in patients preparing for surgery, and to direct image-guided joint, tendon, and perineural nerve injections and nerve ablations. His technical developments with respect to 3D MRI and 3D CT imaging for multiple joints, such as knee, hip, and shoulder, are also being rapidly translated into the clinical practices for the improved diagnosis of meniscus, labrum, tendon, and rotator cuff injuries, bone and soft tissue sarcoma, morphea, and axial spondyloarthritis. He is engaged in national-level guideline documents in collaboration with American College of Radiology.

Global impact

Dr. Chhabra serves as a productive committee member for numerous national and international professional organizations, including several educational, scientific, and finance committees and study sections. He is also an active member of the International Skeletal Society, Society of Skeletal Radiology (SSR), Indian Radiological and Imaging Association, American College of Radiology, and the Texas Radiological Society, where he serves as a counselor.

Teaching and Lecturing

Dr. Chhabra is frequently invited to lecture nationally and internationally at conferences and venues throughout the United States and around the world, including presenting the keynote addresses to the American Roentgen Ray Society, Radiological Society of North America, Ontario Association of Radiologists, and musculoskeletal radiology societies in China, South Korea, South America, Singapore, and the Arabian Gulf. He has also presented the Dr. Tummala Madhusudana Rao Endowment Oration to the Asian Musculoskeletal Society.

Dr. Chhabra has received many scholarly awards, including the Young Investigator Award from the SSR, the GE Radiology Research Academic Fellowship (GERRAF) award from the Association of University Radiologists, the William M.G. Gatewood M.D. Fellowship Award from Johns Hopkins University, ISS mentor recognition award, SHINE academy and SWAT awards, and the Stephen B. Milam Research Award from the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation. He has received D Magazine Top Doctor awards several times.

The author of more than 420 peer-reviewed publications, three textbooks, and 50-plus book chapters, Dr. Chhabra is on the editorial boards as Associate Editor of The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography, and BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.

His dedication to the community is demonstrated by his commitment to volunteerism, ranging from judging professional conference events to local science fairs, and organizing medical camps and cultural events.

Personal note

Dr. Chhabra’s longtime passion for cricket and tennis includes playing the games. He also enjoys watching basketball and football, traveling to different parts of the world, and cooking traditional Indian food.