SUMMARY
Joel G. Fletcher, M.D., is a radiologist focusing on advancing new imaging techniques. He researches ways to improve the education of radiologists. Dr. Fletcher's research interests include:
- Photon-counting computerized tomography and radiation dose reduction.
- Crohn's disease imaging.
- Colorectal cancer imaging.
- Dynamic pelvic floor and anal sphincter imaging with magnetic resonance.
Focus areas
- Photon-counting and radiation dose reduction in computerized tomography imaging. Dr. Fletcher collaborates with Mayo Clinic researchers to advance computerized tomography technology. He develops new approaches concerning photon-counting computerized tomography that reduce radiation dosage and improve image quality, multireader and perceptual studies. He strives to develop, validate and integrate into clinical practice new and improved diagnostic imaging tests. These imaging tests detect problems and improve patient care.
- Use of computerized tomography and magnetic resonance enterography to diagnose Crohn's disease and its complications. Dr. Fletcher partners with Mayo Clinic's Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinic, the Society of Abdominal Radiology Crohn's Disease-Focused Panel and the STAR Consortium. He studies the development of standardized and reproducible imaging criteria to diagnose and measure severity of enteric inflammation. Dr. Fletcher also researches Crohn's disease strictures, perianal Crohn's disease, Crohn's disease response assessment and clinical trials using imaging end points.
- Colorectal cancer imaging. Dr. Fletcher focuses on improving the detection of hepatic metastases and peritoneal conditions with computerized tomography imaging and the use of magnetic resonance imaging for staging rectal cancer and evaluating pelvic recurrences.
- Dynamic pelvic floor and anal sphincter imaging. Dr. Fletcher collaborates with Mayo Clinic researcher Adil E. Bharucha, M.B.B.S., M.D., regarding dynamic pelvic floor and anal sphincter imaging in colorectal surgery.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Fletcher leads teams of physicists, radiologists and clinicians to develop and uphold new imaging methods. He strives to use these new imaging methods to improve patient care. He has led Mayo Clinic's CT Clinical Innovation Center for over 20 years along with Cynthia H. McCollough, Ph.D. Dr. Fletcher also has led the Mayo Clinic small bowel imaging group along with David H. Bruining, M.D., for over a decade.
These two teams lead the effort to develop computerized tomography and magnetic resonance enterography for people with Crohn's disease and possible small bowel bleeding. Dr. Fletcher's teams develop many diagnostic tests in multienergy and photon-counting computerized tomography. He studies how these technologies and diagnostic tests may be used to improve patient care in clinical practice. Dr. Fletcher strives to create recommendations for experts to understand and use these tests and technologies.
Professional highlights
- Medical director, CT Clinical Innovation Center, Mayo Clinic, 2004-present.
- Society of Abdominal Radiology:
- President, 2021-2022.
- Member, board of directors, 2016-2021.
- Founding chair, Crohn's Disease-Focused Panel, 2011-2013.
- Distinguished investigator, Academy for Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Research, 2021.
- Honored Educator Award, Radiological Society of North America, 2019.
- Section editor, gastrointestinal imaging, American Journal of Roentgenology, 2008-2014.
- Vice-chair, Research Committee, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 2002-2005.