Avneesh Chhabra, M.D.
Chief, Musculoskeletal Radiology; Medical Director of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Parkland Health & Hospital System; Director, Musculoskeletal Radiology Fellowship Program
Professor & Division Chief

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

Contributing to the education, mentoring and coaching of our future generation of physicians and leaders at UTSW Radiology is a privilege, and I aspire, promise, and try to effectively deliver it with an attitude of cheerful expectation.

Originally from India, Dr. Chhabra earned his Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree at Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi. He completed his radiology residency training at Delhi University’s Willington Hospital before receiving additional diagnostic radiology residency training at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. He then received advanced training in musculoskeletal radiology through a fellowship program at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. In 2021, Dr. Chhabra earned an Exe MBA in healthcare management and administration from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Prior to joining the UT Southwestern faculty in 2013, Dr. Chhabra was an Assistant Professor of Radiology and Orthopedic Surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.

Research interests

Dr. Chhabra focuses his research on refining musculoskeletal ultrasound, computed tomography and MR practices; and the novel use of 3D 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.

Dr. Chhabra is actively involved in 3D MRI and 3D CT research on adult painful hip disorders, functional bone and soft tissue tumor assessment, and 3D knee MRI research with respect to meniscus and cruciate ligament injuries.

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 techniques to map peripheral neuropathy in patients preparing for surgery, and to direct perineural nerve injections in patients with neuropathies. His technical developments with respect to 3D MR 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 and rotator cuff injuries, bone and soft tissue sarcoma, morphea, and axial spondyloarthritis. He also published OT-RADS and NS-RADS, guidelines for bone tumor and neuropathy follow-up strategies using MRI and is engaged in other national-level guideline documents.

Global impact

Dr. Chhabra serves as a committee member for numerous national and international professional organizations, including several scientific committees, study sections, as well as the Diversity and Inclusion committee. 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 an alternate 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, and the Arabian Gulf. He has also presented the 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, and the Stephen B. Milam Research Award from the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation.

The author of more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, two textbooks and 32 book chapters, Dr. Chhabra also serves as a reviewer for multiple scientific journals, and is on the editorial boards of The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, European Radiology, 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.

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.

Medical School

Delhi University/Maulana Azad Medical College (1996)

Residency

Willington Hospital-Delhi University (1999), Radiology

Fellowship

Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute (2002), Onco-radiology

Internship

Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center (2003), Internal Medicine

Residency

Drexel University College of Medicine (2007), Diagnostic Radiology

Fellowship

Temple University Dept. of Radiology (2008), Musculoskeletal Radiology

Other Post Graduate Training

University of Texas at Dallas (2021)

• Image-Guided Injections and Biopsies
• Magnetic Resonance Neurography
• Rheumatology and Whole Body MRI
• Sarcoma Imaging
• Sports Imaging

Featured Publications

Prospective pre-operative 3-T MR neurography peripheral nerve mapping of upper extremity amputations implanted with FAST-LIFE electrode interfaces of robotic hands: technical report.

Mogharrabi B, Cheng J, Ratakonda R, Keefer E, Chhabra A, Skeletal Radiol 2022 May

A 2D strip ionization chamber array with high spatiotemporal resolution for proton pencil beam scanning FLASH radiotherapy.

Yang Y, Shi C, Chen CC, Tsai P, Kang M, Huang S, Lin CH, Chang FX, Chhabra AM, Choi JI, Tome WA, Simone CB, Lin H, Med Phys 2022 May

Tc-99m-tamoxifen: A novel diagnostic imaging agent for estrogen receptor-expressing breast cancer patients.

Chhabra A, Sharma U, Kumar R, Laroiya I, Bhatia A, Chadha V, Vatsa R, Upadhyay D, Kaur K, Bal A, Singh G, Mittal BR, Shukla J, Diagn Interv Radiol 2022 May 28 3 275-284

Current utilities of imaging in grading musculoskeletal soft tissue sarcomas.

Fisher SM, Joodi R, Madhuranthakam AJ, Öz OK, Sharma R, Chhabra A Eur J Radiol 2016 Jul 85 7 1336-44

Cross-sectional imaging of adult crystal and inflammatory arthropathies.

Soldatos T, Pezeshk P, Ezzati F, Karp DR, Taurog JD, Chhabra A Skeletal Radiol. 2016 May

Role of Diffusion Weighted Imaging in Musculoskeletal Infections: Current Perspectives.

Kumar Y, Khaleel M, Boothe E, Awdeh H, Wadhwa V, Chhabra A Eur Radiol 2016 May

MR imaging of skeletal muscle signal alterations: Systematic approach to evaluation.

Kumar Y, Wadhwa V, Phillips L, Pezeshk P, Chhabra A Eur J Radiol 2016 May 85 5 922-35

Whole-body MR neurography: Prospective feasibility study in polyneuropathy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Chhabra A, Carrino JA, Farahani SJ, Thawait GK, Sumner CJ, Wadhwa V, Chaudhary V, Lloyd TE J Magn Reson Imaging 2016 Apr

Second-Opinion Subspecialty Consultations in Musculoskeletal Radiology.

Chalian M, Del Grande F, Thakkar RS, Jalali SF, Chhabra A, Carrino JA AJR Am J Roentgenol 2016 Apr 1-5

MR neurographic orthopantomogram: Ultrashort echo-time imaging of mandibular bone and teeth complemented with high-resolution morphological and functional MR neurography.

Manoliu A, Ho M, Nanz D, Dappa E, Boss A, Grodzki DM, Liu W, Chhabra A, Andreisek G, Kuhn FP J Magn Reson Imaging 2016 Feb

 Featured Books

Magnetic resonace Neurography

Avneesh Chhabra, Gustav Andreisek (2012).

Musculoskeletal MRI Structured Evaluation: How to Practically Fill the Reporting Checklist

Avneesh Chhabra, Theodoros Soldatos (Ed.) (2014). Wolters

• Honorable Mention for Best Paper Award
  American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (2022)
• Keynote Speaker
  American Roentgen Ray Society (2022)
• Best Article Representing ISAKOS
  International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery & Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (2021)
• Certificate of Appreciation
  Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (2021)
• Honor of Appreciation - Cafe Roentgen Webinar
  Radiology Education Foundation, Mumbai (2020)
• Mentor Recognition Award
  International Skeletal Society (2020)
• Stephen B. Milan Award
  Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation (2020)
• Cum Laude Award
  Radiological Society of North America (2019)
• Best Poster
  European Society of Skeletal Radiology (2018)
• Certificate of Merit
  Radiological Society of North America (2017)
• Keynote Speaker
  Ontario Association of Radiologists (2017)
• Keynote Speaker
  International Skeletal Society/Chinese Musculoskeletal Society (2017)
• Keynote Speaker
  Radiological Society of North America (2016)
• Diner Memorial Lecture in Radiology
  University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (2015)
• Keynote Speaker
  American Roentgen Ray Society (2015)
• Marquis Who's Who (Platinum edition)
  (2015)
• Tummula Endowment Oration
  Asian Musculoskeletal Society (2015)
• Certificate of Merit
  Radiological Society of North America (2014)
• Certificate of Merit, Educational Exhibit
  Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (2012)
• Certificate of Merit, Educational Exhibit
  Radiological Society of North America (2012)
• Gatewood Fellowship
  Johns Hopkins University (2012)
• Second Place, Scientific Paper
  Association of University Radiologists (2012)
• Blue Ribbon Lecture
  Philadelphia Roentgen Ray Society (2011)
• Certificate of Merit, Scientific Exhibit
  Radiological Society of North America (2011)
• First Place, Scientific Exhibit
  European Society of Radiology (2011)
• First Place, Scientific Paper
  Association of University Radiologists (2011)
• GE-AUR Radiology Research Academic Fellowship
  General Electric/Association of University Radiologists (2011)
• Trainee Research Prize
  Radiological Society of North America (2011)
• Young Investigator Award
  Society of Skeletal Radiology (2011)
• GE-AUR Radiology Research Academic Fellowship
  General Electric/Association of University Radiologists (2010)
• Outstanding Academic Achievement
  Drexel University (2007)
• Outstanding Academic Achievement
  Drexel University (2006)
• Second Prize, Scientific Exhibit
  Pennsylvania Radiological Society (2006)
• Certificate of Merit, Scientific Exhibit
  Radiological Society of North America (2005)
• First Prize, Scientific Exhibit
  Pennsylvania Radiological Society (2005)
• Outstanding Academic Achievement
  Drexel University (2005)
• Certificate of Merit, Scientific Exhibit
  Radiological Society of North America (2004)
• First Prize, Scientific Exhibit
  Pennsylvania Radiological Society (2004)
• Outstanding Academic Achievement
  Drexel University (2004)
• Outstanding Academic Achievement
  Drexel University (2003)

• American Roentgen Ray Society
• Association of University Radiologists
• Indian Radiological Society
• International Skeletal Society
• International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
• Natonal Magnetic Resnoance Society
• Radiological Society of North America
• Society of Computed Body Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Society of Skeletal Radiology
• Texas Radiological Society