Biography

M. Craig Morriss, M.D., is a Professor in the Department of Radiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of its Pediatric Radiology Division. He serves as Director of Radiology Education. A pediatric neuroradiologist, Dr. Morriss has special expertise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) safety, including imaging patients who have complex implanted biologic devices.

He serves as the MRI safety officer and a core member of the Quality and Patient Safety Committee at Children’s Health in Dallas, and directs UT Southwestern’s Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program.

Certified by the American Board of Radiology in both diagnostic radiology and neuroradiology, Dr. Morriss joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2007.

His research interests include demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, brain injury following extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and birth-related hypoxic-ischemic brain injuries.

Dr. Morriss has published nearly 40 academic articles and delivered a number of invited lectures regionally, nationally, and internationally.

His professional honors include the 2016 Outstanding Teacher Award from the American Alliance of Academic Chief Residents in Radiology and the 2011 and 2013 Golden Apple Award from UT Southwestern’s Diagnostic Radiology Residency Program.

Dr. Morriss earned his medical degree at UT Southwestern Medical School. He completed a pediatrics internship at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas and a diagnostic radiology residency at UT Southwestern. He then completed fellowships in pediatric neuroradiology (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) and neuroradiology (Thomas Jefferson University Hospital).

He is a member of professional organizations including the American Society for Pediatric Neuroradiology, the American Society of Neuroradiology, the Association of University Radiologists, and the Association of Program Directors in Radiology.

Meet Dr. Morriss

Pediatric Neuroradiologist in Dallas

As a pediatric neuroradiologist, UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Dr. M. Craig Morriss performs and evaluates imaging studies of children suffering from a wide variety of brain, spine, and central nervous system conditions.

“Working closely with our colleagues in specialties such as anesthesiology, nursing, neurology, and cardiology, we image a lot of children who have complex biologic/electronic implanted devices such as cardiac pacemakers, cardiac defibrillators, vagal nerve stimulators, and cochlear implants,” Dr. Morriss says.

Safe, quality care

Dr. Morriss finds his subspecialty very rewarding because it unites several of his passions.

“Pediatric neuroradiology combines my love of pediatric medicine and caring for children with my interest in the brain, spine, and central nervous system,” he says.

“My goals every day are to image our patients as safely as possible, make the correct diagnoses, and deliver the absolute best medical care I can,” he says.

Safety is also an organizational priority, which is reflected through quality outcomes data.

“Ours is one of the safest, most leading-edge pediatric MRI programs in the U.S.,” says Dr. Morriss, who also serves as the MRI safety officer and a core member of the Quality and Patient Safety Committee at Children's Health in Dallas.

A focus on children

Because he usually works with children, Dr. Morriss understands the concerns that parents have when their children undergo an imaging procedure, and he makes sure children’s special needs remain the focus of his work. 

“It feels great to know that we’re taking care of the kids, scanning them safely, and getting answers and making diagnoses that can save children’s lives.”

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Education & Training
  • Fellowship - Thomas Jefferson University (1996-1997), Neuroradiology
  • Fellowship - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (1995-1996), Pediatric Neuroradiology
  • Residency - UT Southwestern Medical Center (1991-1995), Diagnostic Radiology
  • Internship - UT Southwestern Medical Center (1990-1991), Pediatrics
  • Medical School - UT Southwestern Medical School (1986-1990)
Professional Associations & Affiliations
  • Texas Medical Association
  • Children’s Oncology Group
  • American Society of Neuroradiology
  • American Society of Head and Neck Radiology
Honors & Awards
  • Southwestern Medical Foundation 1986, R.L. Taylor Scholarship, Southwestern Medical School, Dallas
  • American Roentgen Ray Society 1995, Executive Council Resident Research Award, "Cerebral Blood Flow in Eclampsia and Severe Preeclampsia: A Prospective Study Utilizing Phase-Contrast MR Flow Quantification and Correlation with Conventional Parenchymal Spin-Echo MR Brain Imag
  • The Society for Pediatric Radiology 1997, Certificate of Merit Award for a Scientific Paper, Comprehensive Mapping of Normal Developmental Changes in Brain Water Diffusion, St. Louis, MO
  • American Society of Neuroradiology 1997, The Derek Harwood-Nash Award for Best Pediatric Neuroradiology Paper
  • Radiological Society of North America 2004, Certificate of Merit, Scientific Poster Presentation, "Lumps and Bumps on the Head in Childhood: a Diagnostic Dilemma," Chicago, Illinois

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