RSNA Member Spotlight: Suzie Bash, MD

Suzie Bash, MD, is a neuroradiologist and a medical director at RadNet. She previously served as an assistant professor of neuroradiology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where earlier she had completed a two-year neuroradiology fellowship and residency.

Dr. Bash’s passion and interests lie in AI applications in advanced neuroimaging which add patient-centric value, quality and efficiency. She has a special interest in dementia imaging and Alzheimer’s disease educational initiatives.

A recurring guest on TV, radio and podcasts, Dr. Bash is also actively involved in AI clinical trials, peer-reviewed publications, and AI and dementia related educational talks and webinars. She serves on the medical advisory boards of several AI companies and on the editorial board in the AI section for Applied Radiology where she is a frequent contributing author.

What or who sparked your interest in radiology?

There are certain teachers we encounter in life who indelibly inspire us through their passion, expertise, charisma and teaching style. There were two such teachers who led me to radiology. The first was Dr. Thomas Cusack, chair of radiology at my medical school. He made solving mysteries through image interpretation an exciting and rewarding endeavor.

The second was my father. I have always been fascinated by the human brain and I knew I wanted to commit my life to learning more about it. It was ultimately my dad, Dr. Stephen Bash, a pediatric cardiologist, who inspired me to become a neuroradiologist. While in medical school, I was fortunate enough to train at the same hospital as my father. We would chat every morning in the doctor’s lounge before work.

One morning he walked me through what life might be like as a neurosurgeon, neurologist, neurointerventionalist or neuroradiologist—all of which I would have loved. But it was that particular morning, through his words of wisdom, that I made the ultimate career choice to become a neuroradiologist—a decision that I have never regretted. It has brought me tremendous personal and professional satisfaction every day of my career.

What has been the best professional accomplishment in your career?

The best professional accomplishment was really a series of events that transpired later in my career. A mentor, Dr. Lawrence Tanenbaum, inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and engage in a much more public way in my areas of primary interest, namely AI and dementia imaging. I began undertaking educational initiatives for both the lay public and my radiology colleagues in these areas through TV, radio, educational webinars, industry advisory roles, talks and publications.

I am fortunate to work at RadNet, the largest free-standing outpatient imaging enterprise in the U.S., because they have always been very forward-thinking when it comes to utilization of AI applications that enhance patient care. So, I found myself in an environment where I was able to employ AI solutions in my clinical practice from a very early stage. With that as a starting base, I was able to engage in opportunities that allowed me to grow and evolve professionally.