SUMMARY
Larry A. Binkovitz, M.D., studies the use of ultrasound (US) in the evaluation of acute abdominal disorders affecting infants and children, including intussusception and appendicitis. In addition, Dr. Binkovitz studies the use of positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals (PET tracers) for the evaluation of malignant disease in children and adolescents. These tracers include gallium Ga 68 dotatate and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose.
Focus areas
- Acute appendicitis. Dr. Binkovitz has written extensively on the use of US in the evaluation of acute appendicitis in children. His work has highlighted the advantages of definitive US reporting and detailed methods to increase its diagnostic performance in this condition.
- Intussusception. Dr. Binkovitz recently published a multi-institutional review about the use of gallium Ga 68 dotatate in pediatric patients, including its use in numerous neuroendocrine tumors, its use in genetic syndromes that predispose to neuroendocrine neoplasms, and its role in better defining radiation fields for proton beam therapy in children with neuroblastoma.
- Outreach. Dr. Binkovitz has also published on the opportunities, challenges and outcome of pediatric radiology mission work and global outreach.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Binkovitz's hope is that his work leads to more definitive reporting of ultrasound studies for acute appendicitis and improved patient outcomes, such as decreased computerized tomography use and decreased negative laparotomy rates. Additionally, he aims for more effective screening, diagnosis and treatment of children with, or at risk of, neuroendocrine tumors. Lastly, he envisions his findings helping other pediatric radiologists in their planning and execution of meaningful, sustainable global outreach efforts.