Tharakeswara K. Bathala, M.D., M.B.B.S
Abdominal Imaging Department, Division of Diagnostic Imaging
About Dr. Bathala
Dr. Bathala has a dual appointment as adjunct assistant professor at school of public health and UT health science center at Houston. He interprets diagnostic images especially ultrasound, CT and MRI scans, and have a special interest in the imaging of patients with genitourinary and gynecological malignancies. He performs ultrasound guided procedures including biopsy, aspiration, intraoperative ultrasound guidance, and sonohysterography.
His research interests include health services research, comparative effectiveness, cancer prevention, and quality improvement. He is the Principal Investigator of a prospective evaluation of metastatic disease and whole-body MR imaging in high risk prostate cancer. He is also the PI of an educational grant that was awarded for the development of curriculum on cancer staging. Dr. Bathala serve as a Collaborator on many novel clinical trials for treatment of advanced malignancies. Dr. Bathala has authored and co-authored multiple articles in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Bathala is a member of the American Roentgen Ray Society, RSNA, SAR, SRU and ACR. In addition, he serves as a reviewer for several journals. Dr. Bathala is an active speaker, both nationally and internationally.
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 Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX
Research Interests
Health Services Research C omparative Effectiveness Technology Assessment Cancer Prevention Quality Improvement
Clinical Interests
Oncological applications of diagnostic ultrasound, CT and MRI. Imaging of genitourinary and gynecological malignancies.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2007 | Bangalore Medical College, affiliated with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, IND, MD, Radiology |
| 2001 | Mysore Medical College, affiliated with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Mysore, IND, MBBS, Medicine and Surgery |
Postgraduate Training
| 2017-2018 | Value of imaging through comparative effectiveness research, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY |
| 2017-2017 | Management & Supervision Course, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2014-2014 | Clinical safety and effectiveness program - Quality improvement & patient safety program, Quality and Safety, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2012-2013 | Heart of Leadership - Junior faculty leadership course, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2010-2012 | Clinical Fellowship, Body Imaging, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA |
| 2009-2010 | Clinical Fellowship, Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA |
| 2004-2007 | Clinical Residency, Bangalore Medical College, Bangalore |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, 2013 - 2018
Assistant Professor, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2012 - 2018
Attending Radiologist, Centreville Medical Pavilion and The Cancer Centre, Bahamas, Nassau, HI, 2007 - 2009
Attending Radiologist, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, Institute of Nephro-Urology, Bangalore, India, 2007 - 2007
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Co-Director, General Ultrasound, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2014 - 2015
Honors & Awards
| 2015 | Diagnostic Imaging Clinical Research Committee Award, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Martin GV, Pugh TJ, Mahmood U, Kudchadker RJ, Wang J, Bruno TL, Bathala T, Blanchard P, Frank SJ. Permanent prostate brachytherapy postimplant MRI dosimetry using positive contrast MRI markers. Brachy 16(4):761-769, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28501429.
- Matrana MR, Bathala T, Campbell MT, Duran C, Shetty A, Teegavarapu P, Kalra S, Xiao L, Atkinson B, Corn P, Jonasch E, Tannir NM. Outcomes of unselected patients with metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma treated with front-line pazopanib therapy followed by vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGFR-TKI) or mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTORi): A single institution experience. BJU Int 118(2):264-71, 2016. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26573089.
- Lim TY, Kudchadker RJ, Wang J, Bathala T, Szklaruk J, Pugh TJ, Mahmood U, Ibbott GS, Frank SJ. Development of a magnetic resonance imaging protocol to visualize encapsulated contrast agent markers in prostate brachytherapy recipients: Initial patient experience. J Contemp Brachy 8(3):235-42, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27504133.
- Shinagare AB, Vikram R, Jaffe C, Akin O, Kirby J, Huang E, Freymann J, Sainani NI, Sadow CA, Bathala TK, Rubin DL, Oto A, Heller MT, Surabhi VR, Katabathina V, Silverman SG. Radiogenomics of clear cell renal cell carcinoma: Preliminary findings of The Cancer Genome Atlas-Renal Cell Carcinoma (TCGA-RCC) Imaging Research Group. Abdom Imaging 40(6):1684-92, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25753955.
- Gupta S, Kang HC, Ganeshan DM, Bathala TK, Kundra V. Diagnostic approach to hereditary renal cell carcinoma. AJR Am J Roentgenol 204(5):1031-41, 2015. PMID: 25905938.
- Bhosale PR, Wei W, Ernst RD, Bathala TK, Reading RM, Wood CG, Bedi DG. Intraoperative sonography during open partial nephrectomy for renal cell cancer: does it alter surgical management?. AJR Am J Roentgenol 203(4):822-7, 2014. PMID: 25247947.
- Atkinson BJ, Kalra S, Wang X, Bathala TK, Corn P, Tannir NM, Jonasch E. Clinical outcomes in metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients treated with alternative sunitinib schedules. J Urol 191(3):611-8, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24018239.
- Ganeshan D, Morani A, Ladha H, Bathala TK, 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.
- Korivi BR, Jensen CT, Patnana M, Patel KP, Bathala TK. A rare presentation of lymphoma of the cervix with cross-sectional imaging correlation. Case Rep Radiol 2014:1-5, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24864220.
- Nwawka OK, Bathala TK, Kabutey NK, Kim D. Simple technique for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt reduction using a flared stent graft. J Vasc Interv Radiol 23(9):1251-1253, 2012. PMID: 22920989.
- Martin GV, Pugh TJ, Mahmood U, Kudchadker RJ, Wang J, Bruno TL, Bathala T, Frank SJ. Permanent prostate brachytherapy pubic arch evaluation with diagnostic MRI. Brachy 16(4):728-733. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28284511.
- Ma J, Moerland MA, Venkatesan AM, Bathala TK, Kudchadker RJ, Brock KK, Frank SJ. Pulse sequence considerations for simulation and postimplant dosimetry of prostate brachytherapy. Brachy 16(4):743-753. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28063817.
Abstracts
- Sanders J, Frank S, Venkatesan A, Bathala T, Szklaruk J, Blanchard P, Kudchadker R, Ma J. TrueFISP for single sequence mr-only post-implant dosimetry of prostate brachytherapy. Med Phys, 2017.
- Sanders J, Frank S, Bathala T, Venkatesan A, Kudchadker R, Blanchard P, Martin G, Wang J, Berner P, Bruno T, Ma J. MRI-based prostate brachytherapy - imaging with and without an endorectal coil for post-implant qulaity assurance. Brachy 16(3):S56, 2017.
- Farooqi A, Blanchard P, Bruno T, Kudchadker RJ, Wang J, Venkatesan A, Bathala T, Ma J, Frank SJ. Early quality of life outcomes for MRI - assisted prostate brachytherapy patients. Brachy 16(3):S108, 2017.
- Martin GV, Pugh TJ, Mahmood U, Swanson DA, Graber WJ, Wang JW, Bathala T, Lim T, Bruno T, Martin G, Kudchadker RJ, Frank SJ. Are we ready to replace post-implant CT dosimetry? Permanent prostate brachytherapy post-implant MRI dosimetry using positive contrast MRI markers. Brachy, 2016.
- Blanchard P, Pugh TJ, Mahmood U, Swanson DA , Graber WJ, Wang J, Bathala TK, LimT, Bruno T, Martin GV, Kudchadker RJ, Frank SJ. MRI simulation for LDR prostate brachytherapy: Can we replace ultrasound with MRI for treatment planning? Comparison of pre-planning, day 0 and day 30 MR dosimetry. Brachy 15(Supplement 1):S57, 2016.
- Thaker NG, Agarwal A, Pugh TJ, Mahmood U, Guzman AB, Incalcaterra JR, Bathala TK, Kaplan RS, Kudchadker R, Bingham J, Das P, Kuban DA, Bucholz TA, Feeley TW, Frank SJ. Quality improvement in prostate brachytherapy using time driven activity based costing. Brachy 93:E503, 2015.
- Lim T, Wang J, Frank S, Stafford R, Bruno T, Bathala TK, Mahmood U, Pugh T, Ibbott G, Kudchadker R. SU-E-J-214: MR protocol development to visualize sirius MRI markers in prostate brachytherapy patients for MR-based post-implant dosimetry. Med Phys 42(6):3314-3315, 2015. PMID: 26127603.
- Lim T, Wang J, Frank S, Stafford RJ, Bruno TL, Bathala TK, Mahmod U, Pugh T, Ibbott GS, Kudchadker. MR protocol development to visualize sirius MRI markers in prostate brachytherapy patients for MR-based post-implant dosimetry. Med Phys 41(6):99-99, 2015.
- Lim T, Kudchadker RJ, Wang J, Stafford RJ, Bruno TL, Bathala TK, Mahmod U, Pugh T, Ibbott GS. Initial patient experience with positive-contrast MRI markers for low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy. Brachy 14(Supplement 1):S35, 2015.
- Lim T, Wang J, Kudchadker R, Stafford R, Bathala TK, Pugh T, Ibbott G, Frank S. Sirius MRI markers for prostate post-implant assessment: MR protocol development. Med Phys 41(6):99, 2014.
Book Chapters
- Bathala TK. Vascular Ultrasound. In: Problem Solving in Cardiovascular Radiology. 1. Elsevier, Inc: Philadelphia, PA, 2013.
- Menias C, Soto J, Anderson S, Bathala T. In: Gastrointestinal Imaging Cases. McGraw-Hill Radiology: New York, NY, 2013.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Travel Grant to attend European Congress of Radiology as Junior Image Interpretation session panelist |
| Funding Source: | Indian Radiological and Imaging Association |
| Role: | Trainee |
| Title: | Magnetic resonance imaging as a comprehensive staging tool for the evaluation of high - risk prostate carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | Internal Division Grant |
| Role: | Principal Investigator-MDACC |
| Title: | The University of Texas Kenneth I. Shine Academy of Health Science Education Small Grants Program |
| Funding Source: | UT Health Science Education Small Grant Program |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | A framework for the analysis of multiparametric MRI data and the application for disease control with tumor response assessment |
| Funding Source: | The Center for Radiation Oncology Research |
| Role: | Collaborator |