Speaker Profile
Susan D. John

Susan D. John MD, FACR

Radiology, Pediatric Radiology
Houston, Texas, United States of America

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Dr. Susan D. John is an internationally known pediatric radiologist who is currently a Professor and Chair of the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School in Houston. She is Chief of Adult and Pediatric Imaging Services at Memorial Hermann Hospital TMC, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, and Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital in Houston, Texas. She holds the John S. Dunn Distinguished Chair in Radiology at UT McGovern Medical School Houston since 2004.

In 1998, Dr. John was recruited to UT Houston Medical School as Chief of Pediatric Radiology, bringing state-of-the-art imaging for infants and children to Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. She expanded services locally to include imaging at Shriner’s Orthopedic Hospital for Children. She was promoted to Professor with Tenure in 2001, and subsequently, appointed Chair of the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging in 2004.

Dr. John’s dedication to patient-centered care, quality, and safety caused her to become increasingly engaged in leadership roles in the Memorial Hermann Hospital System. She is currently Chief of Staff at Memorial Hermann Hospital-TMC. She consistently promotes the value of interdisciplinary collaborations in the hospital and the medical school and has worked to improve communication between radiologists, referring physicians, and patients.

Dr. John is a renowned leader and educator in the subspecialty of Pediatric Radiology. She authored and co-authored more than 100 journal articles, books, and book chapters. Dr. John’s scholarly activities primarily involve emergency imaging in children, with an emphasis on gastrointestinal emergencies, respiratory infections, child abuse, and musculoskeletal injuries. Her relaxed and practical lecture style has made her a popular speaker at numerous national and international scientific meetings and educational courses on topics in pediatric and emergency imaging.

She is a passionate advocate of personalized care in Radiology, with a special focus on the imaging of children. She has been a leader in national initiatives to increase the appropriateness of diagnostic imaging and reduce unnecessary radiation exposure in pediatric imaging for many years. She served on the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging Steering Committee and was co-chair of the Image Gently subcommittee that created the Radiation Safety Checklist for radiologic technologists performing digital radiography in children.

The primary focus of Dr. John’s research is pediatric acute care imaging. She is recognized as an authority on the imaging of abdominal emergencies and extremity injuries in children. She publishes and advocates for judicious, evidence-based use of imaging in pediatric trauma and emergency care. Dr. John is an expert in the imaging of child abuse and collaborates with investigators at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences on research to improve the diagnosis of non-accidental trauma in infants. She has worked with the industry to develop and improve low-dose systems for computed radiography.
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES (Speaking, Spoken, and Authored)