Ajaykumar C Morani, M.B.B.S., DNB, M.D.
Department of Abdominal Imaging, Division of Diagnostic Imaging
About Dr. Morani
After completing his fellowship trainings in Body MRI, Abdominal Imaging, Neuroradiology and Pediatric radiology at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Dr. Morani joined Department of Diagnostic Imaging at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in 2012 as Assistant Professor. In addition to his role as Abdominal and Pediatric Radiologist, Dr. Morani has additional responsibilities as Co-director of Pediatric Imaging. Dr. Morani works very hard towards improving quality of patient care. He did a project on Caipirinha parallel imaging technique at MD Anderson CC improving the quality of abdominal MRI in patients with poor breath hold capacity. He is also actively optimizing pediatric body MRI and CT at MD Anderson CC.
Academically, Dr. Morani teaches and mentors technologists, medical students, radiology residents and fellows from MD Anderson, Baylor, and UT Health Sciences Center. This involves one on one mentoring and lectures. Dr. Morani recently co-directed the “Oncologic Radiology and Interventional Radiology 2014” CME conference and “Pelvic MRI workshop” in India as part of M.D. Anderson global academic venture.
Dr. Morani is the Co-founder and Co-chair of Disease focused panel on Abdominopelvic Neuroendocrine tumors of Society of Abdominal Radiology. He has co-directed multiple hands-on workshops and webinars on Imaging of abdominopelvic neuroendocrine neoplasms. He is actively involved in educational and scientific activities in several prominent radiologic societies and is active reviewer of prominent radiology journals. He has several publications in prominent journals in the field.
Dr. Morani is active member of the Diagnostic Imaging Functional Finance Committee and he served as faulty consultant of the team working on “Insurance Denials in Diagnostic Imaging” project.
Dr. Morani has special clinical interests in pelvic oncologic imaging, abdominal MRI and non-neural pediatric solid tumors. His research interests include body MRI, rectal cancer imaging, non-neural pediatric solid tumors and desmoplastic small round cell/peritoneal tumors.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Diagnostic & Interventional Imaging, Division of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX
Research Interests
Body MRI, rectal cancer imaging, non-neural pediatric solid tumors and desmoplastic small round cell/peritoneal tumors
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2012 | University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, American Board of Radiology, Diagnostic Radiology |
| 2007 | Seth G.S. Medical College, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, IND, MD, Radio Diagnosis |
| 2001 | Grant Medical College & Sir J.J Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, IND, MBBS, Medical |
Postgraduate Training
| 2011-2012 | Clinical Fellowship, Pediatric Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI |
| 2010-2011 | Clinical Fellowship, Neuroradiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI |
| 2009-2010 | Clinical Fellowship, Abdominal Imaging, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI |
| 2008-2009 | Clinical Fellowship, Body MRI, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI |
| 2003-2006 | Clinical Residency, Radiology, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Seth G.S. Medical College, Mumbai |
| 2001-2002 | Clinical Residency, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Oshiwara Hospital, Dr R.N. Cooper Municipal General Hospital, Mumbai |
| 2000-2001 | Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Rural Medicine, Grant Medical College & Sir J.J Group of Hospitals, Mumbai |
Board Certifications
| 2012 | American Board of Radiology |
| 2007 | Radio Diagnosis - University of Mumbai |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2012 - 2018
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Co-director of Pediatric Abdominal Imaging, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2017 - Present
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
SPR Oncology Committee member, Society of Pediatric Radiology, Reston, VA, 2015 - 2018
Co-investigator for Diagnostic Imaging Insurance Denials, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2013 - 2016
Member of Pediatric MR Study Group, International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), Stony Brook, NY, 2013 - Present
Clinical Associate of Radiology, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, 2006 - 2007
Institutional Committee Activities
Lead member, AI Operations Advisory Committee, 2017 - 2018
Member, DI Finance subcommittee for insurance denials, 2013 - 2015
Member, DI Clinical Functional Finance Committee, 2013 - Present
Lead Pediatric Radiologist, Committee for pediatric contrast reaction management algorithm, 2013 - Present
Member - pediatric radiologist, Li-Fraumeni syndrome clinic development, 2012 - Present
Facilitator, Pediatric CT protocol committee, 2012 - Present
Facilitator, Pediatric MRI protocol committee, 2012 - Present
Pediatric Radiologist, Pediatric weekly non-CNS patient meeting, 2012 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2021 | Fellow of the Society of Abdominal Radiology, Society of Abdominal Radiology |
| 2021 | Cum Laude - Educational Exhibit on "Restaging MRI of Rectal Adenocarcinoma after Chemoradiotherapy, When We Are Wrong: Pearls, Pitfalls and Tricky cases", Radiology Society of North America 2021 |
| 2021 | Certificate of Merit for Educational Exhibit on "Hereditary Abdominopelvic Neuroendocrine Tumors", Radiology Society of North America 2021 |
| 2020 | Cum Laude - Educational exhibit on "Neuroendocrine Neoplasms of the Digestive System: 2020 Update on Classification, Pathology, and Imaging Findings", Radiology Society of North America 2020 |
| 2020 | Co-founder and co-chair of the Neuroendocrine Disease Focused Panel of SAR, Society of Abdominal Radiology |
| 2019 | Magna Cum Laude - Education Exhibit "Pancreas in Hereditary Syndromes: Cross-Sectional Imaging Spectrum", Radiological Society of North America |
| 2018 | Abdomen & Pelvis Cum Laude Paper, Cancer Imaging and Intervention Conference 2018 |
| 2018 | One of very best reviewers, Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 2018-2019 |
| 2016 | Outstanding Teacher award in the Abdominal Imaging section of Diagnostic Radiology for FY 2016-2017 |
| 2015 | Nomination for Caffey Electronic Exhibit Award, Society of Pediatric Radiology 2015 |
| 2014 | Celebrating Solutions' Winner Clinical Safety & Effectiveness, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2013 | Presidential Poster Competition Award Winner, Endocrine Society 2013 |
| 2012 | Honorable poster mention, Society of Pediatric Radiology |
| 2010 | Outstanding Service Award, University of Michigan |
| 2010 | Roentgen Research Fellow Award, Radiology Society of North America |
| 2009 | The Golden COD Award, University of Michigan |
| 2009 | Fellow of the Year, University of Michigan |
| 2008 | Outstanding Service Award, University of Michigan |
| 2008 | Best SUR (Society of Uroradiology) Poster, Society of Abdominal Radiology |
| 2005 | Gold Medal Prize Winner, Padmasree Kakarla Subbarao - Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences, India |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Consul N, Javed-Tayyab S, Morani AC, Menias CO, Lubner MG, Elsayes KM. Iron-containing pathologies of the spleen: magnetic resonance imaging features with pathologic correlation. Abdom Radiol (NY) 46(3):1016-1026, 2021. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32915270.
- Fielding JC, Wagner-Bartak NA, Javadi S, Morani AC, Ganeshan D, Ibarra-Rovira JJ, Liu X, Jensen CT. Improved Computed Tomography Contrast Injection Rates Through Implantable Chest Power Ports. J Comput Assist Tomogr 44(6):911-913, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32976270.
- Virarkar M, Saleh M, Ramani NS, Morani AC, Bhosale P. Imaging spectrum of NUT carcinomas. Clin Imaging 67:198-206, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32866821.
- Hanafy AK, Mujtaba B, Roman-Colon AM, Elsayes KM, Harrison D, Ramani NS, Waguespack SG, Morani AC. Imaging features of adrenal gland masses in the pediatric population. Abdom Radiol (NY) 45(4):964-981, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31538225.
- Virarkar M, Viswanathan C, Iyer R, de Castro Faria S, Morani AC, Carter B, Ganeshan D, Elsherif S, Bhosale P. The Role of Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Gynecological Malignancies. J Comput Assist Tomogr. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31453978.
- Mubarak AI, Morani AC. Anomalous vertebral arteries in Klippel-Feil syndrome with occipitalized atlas: CT angiography. Radiol Case Rep 13(2):434-436, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29904491.
- Gupta S, Kang HC, Ganeshan D, Morani AC, Gautam R, Choyke PL, Kundra V. The ABCs of BHD: An In-Depth Review of Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome. AJR Am J Roentgenol 209(6):1291-1296, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28981362.
- Cuglievan B, Menegaz BA, DePombo A, Morani AC, Miranda RN, Rytting M. A pediatric patient with glycogen storage disease type IA and Castleman disease. Pediatr Blood Cancer 64(8), 2017. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 28035790.
- Yedururi S, Morani AC, Gladish GW, Vallabhaneni S, Anderson PM, Hughes D, Wang WL, Daw NC. Cardiovascular involvement by osteosarcoma: an analysis of 20 patients. Pediatr Radiol 46(1):21-33, 2016. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26411434.
- Pan HY, Morani AC, Wang WL, Hess KR, Paulino AC, Ludwig JA, Lin PP, Daw NC, Mahajan A. Prognostic factors and patterns of relapse in ewing sarcoma patients treated with chemotherapy and r0 resection. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 92(2):349-357, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25772182.
- Morani AC, Smith EA, Ganeshan D, Dillman JR. Diffusion-weighted MRI in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. AJR Am J Roentgenol 204(6):1269-1277, 2015. PMID: 26001238.
- Morani AC, Vicens RA, Wei W, Gupta S, Vikram R, Balachandran A, Reed BJ, Ma J, Qayyum A, Szklaruk J. CAIPIRINHA-VIBE and GRAPPA-VIBE for liver MRI at 1.5 T: a comparative in vivo patient study. J Comput Assist Tomogr 39(2):263-269, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25635931.
- Shawa H, Elsayes KM, Javadi S, Morani AC, Williams MD, Lee JE, Waguespack SG, Busaidy NL, Vassilopoulou-Sellin R, Jimenez C, Habra MA. Adrenal ganglioneuroma: features and outcomes of 27 cases at a referral cancer centre. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 80(3):342-347, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24033606.
- Ganeshan D, Morani AC, Ladha H, Bathala T, Kang H, Gupta S, Lalwani N, Kundra V. Staging, surveillance, and evaluation of response to therapy in renal cell carcinoma: role of MDCT. Abdom Imaging 39(1):66-85, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24077815.
- Morani AC, Eisbruch A, Carey TE, Hauff SJ, Walline HM, Mukherji SK. Intranodal cystic changes: a potential radiologic signature/biomarker to assess the human papillomavirus status of cases with oropharyngeal malignancies. J Comput Assist Tomogr 37(3):343-345, 2013. PMID: 23674003.
- Morani AC, Elsayes KM, Liu PS, Weadock WJ, Szklaruk J, Dillman JR, Khan A, Chenevert TL, Hussain HK. Abdominal applications of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging: where do we stand. World J Radiol 5(3):68-80, 2013. PMID: 23671743.
Book Chapters
- Ganeshan K, Morani AC, Gaballah A, Bhosale P, Elsayes KM. Cross-sectional imaging of small bowel. In: Cross-sectional Imaging of Abdomen and Pelvis. Springer, 2015.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified August 19, 2024