William Kuo MD, FSIR, FCCP, FSVM, FACR, FCIRSE

Dr. William T. Kuo is an award-winning physician, clinical researcher, innovator, educator, and patient advocate. He was born in St. Louis, MO, and attended high school in Southeast Missouri, where he graduated valedictorian. He attended college at Duke University, where he received a BS degree with honors. He earned an MD degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine with distinction in radiology, winning the Meschan Award for radiology excellence. His surgical internship was accomplished at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, WA.

He then trained in a combined Interventional & Diagnostic Radiology Residency program at the University of Rochester Medical Center, where he served as Chief Resident, and he was among the first in the nation to complete the Clinical Pathway in Interventional Radiology – ABR prototype for the current Integrated IR-DR Residency. Following this, Dr. Kuo completed an Interventional Radiology Fellowship at Stanford University Medical Center. After fellowship, Dr. Kuo was recruited to become faculty in the Stanford Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, where he was appointed Assistant Professor in 2006, promoted to Associate Professor in 2013, and promoted to Professor of Radiology – Interventional Radiology in 2017. In 2024, he was appointed Interim Chief of the Stanford IR Division.

Dr. Kuo is a recognized expert on advanced IVC filter retrieval, venous interventions, thrombolysis, and catheter-directed therapy (CDT) for acute pulmonary embolism (PE). He has written many seminal and award-winning papers, and his work has been cited in all major guidelines on antithrombotic therapy for venous thromboembolism. In 2009, his PE meta-analysis was the first to reveal the safety and effectiveness of CDT as a life-saving procedure for acute massive PE, leading to major changes in treatment guidelines. Dr. Kuo’s landmark meta-analysis eventually led to the wide adoption of catheter-directed therapy for acute life-threatening PE, the 3rd leading cause of cardiovascular death. His work has also inspired many investigators to pursue research on percutaneous PE interventions, and today, based on these collective efforts, Catheter-Directed Therapy is now recognized around the world as a valid treatment option for patients with life-threatening PE.