James Ray Ballinger, MD, PhD
Portland VA Medical Center
Email: rballinger at gmail.com

CURRENT POSITION:

Staff Radiologist, Portland VA Medical Center April 1, 2007 to present.

Courtesy Clinical Assistant Professor of Radiology, University of Florida April 6, 2001 to present.

PREVIOUS POSITIONS:

Staff Radiologist, Straub Clinic and Hospital February 2003 to March 2007.

Staff Radiologist, Kaua`i Medical Clinic and Wilcox Memorial Hospital April 2001 to January 2003.

Staff Radiologist, VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, November, 2000 to April 2001.

Radiology System Chief, No. Florida/So. Georgia Veterans Health System, October 1998 to November 2000.

Resident Coordinator, VA Radiology Service, Gainesville FL 1998.

Chief, Radiology Service, VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, September 1996 to October 1998.

Assistant Professor of Radiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, August 1994 to April 2001.

Staff Radiologist, VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, October 1991 to August 1996.

Consulting Radiologist, University of Florida, Shands Teaching Hospital, Gainesville, FL, June 1989 to October 1991.

Staff Radiologist, VA Medical Center, Bay Pines, FL, December 1987 to May 1989.

Sheer, Ahearn & Associates, M.D., P.A., Tampa, FL, September 1983 to November 1987.

Staff Radiologist, Palmetto General Hospital, 2001 W. 68 St., Hialeah, FL, 33016, July 1981 to September 1983.

EDUCATION:

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, Degree: Ph.D., Medical Physics, January 1989 to August 1994.

University of Miami, School of Medicine, Coral Gables, FL, Degree: M.D., July 1973 to June 1976.

University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, Degree: B.A. with Honors, Natural Science, July 1970 to June 1973.

INTERNSHIP:

Internal Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL, July 1976 to June 1977.

RESIDENCY:

Diagnostic Radiology, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL, July 1977 to June 1980.

FELLOWSHIP:

Nuclear Medicine, Ultrasound and Computed Tomography, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL, July 1980 to June 1981.

CERTIFICATION:

National Board of Medical Examiners, Miami, Florida; July 1977.

State of Florida, Board of Medical Examiners; July 1977.

American Board of Radiology, Diagnostic Radiology with Special Competency in Nuclear Radiology, June 1982.

State of Hawaii, Board of Medical Examiners; July 1983.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:

Society of Nuclear Medicine, 1981 to 1991.

American College of Radiology, 1983 to 1991.

Florida Radiologic Society, 1983 to 1991.

Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 1988 to 1993.

American Association for the Advancement of Science; 1989 to 1993.

The New York Academy of Sciences; 1991.

American Association of Physicists in Medicine (Student Member), 1991 to 1994.

Member, Technical Advisory Group on Safety Standards for Magnetic Resonance Systems, International Electrotechnical Committee, January, 1992 to 2001.

International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 1994 to present.

Radiological Society of North America, 1995 to present.

Member, Initial Review Group for conference grants, NCI, NIH, 1995.

Member, Special Review Committee for program project grant, NCI, NIH, 1996.

HONORARY SOCIETIES:

Themis Honor Society of the University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 1972.

Pi Mu Epsilon Honorary Mathematics Fraternity, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 1972.

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 1973.

Alpha Nu Sigma Honorary Nuclear Science and Engineering Society, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 1991.

AWARDS:

Dr. Sylvan Myers Award for Highest Achievement in Physics and Mathematics by Pre-Medical Students, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 1972.

Certificate of Appreciation from the Cuban Medical Association in Exile, Miami, FL, August 1980.

American Medical Association Physician's Recognition Award, 1995.

Physician Scientist Award, James R. Ballinger, P.I.: "Therapy Monitoring of Osteosarcoma with Proton MRS", National Cancer Institute, 4/1/92 - 6/30/94; $164,800.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Lecturer, Radiology Technology School, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL, 1977 to 1979.

Nuclear Medicine Resident's Lecture: Artifacts and Quality Control of Tc99m Imaging Agents, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL, 1980 to 1981.

Continuing Education for Radiology Technologist, Centro Asturiano Hospital, Tampa, FL, 1987 to 1988.

Guest lecturer: Physics for Radiology Residents, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 1990.

Instruction of Radiology Residents in Clinical MRI, VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, 1991 to present.

Radiology Physics Instructor for Radiology Residents, Shands Teaching Hospital, July 1997 to January 1998.

GRANTS:

  1. Thomas S. Huber, P.I., J.R. Ballinger, Co-Investigator.; "Comparison of Pre-operative Digital Subtraction and Magnetic Resonance Arteriography with Intra-operative Arteriography"; Shands Clinical Resource Management Small Grants Program; 2/1/96 - 2/1/97; $9,175 T.D.C.
  2. Thomas Oakland, PI, (JR Ballinger, Co-Investigator); "Neurobiological Foundations of Reading Disabilities? Interdisciplinary Research Initiative, 5/15/96 - 5/14/97, $47,650.
  3. Stephen Nadeau, JR Ballinger, Co-PI’s. Educational Grant from College of Medicine for acquisition of high-resolution MRI images of the brain for an electronic MRI atlas, 1999. $20,000.
PUBLICATIONS:

Refereed Papers:

  1. Hescock, H, Parker, M, Wang, T, Ballinger, R, Balducci, L. Case Report: Metastatic Carcinoma of Unknown Primary: Complete Response to Second-Line Treatment with Plicamycin. Am J Med Sci 1989;298(1):34-37.
  2. Ballinger, R, Magin, RL, and Webb, AG. Sucrose Polyester: A New Oral Contrast Agent for MRI. Magn Reson Med 1991; 19:199-202.
  3. Ballinger, JR and Ros, PR. High density barium sulfate suspension for MRI: Optimization of concentration for bowel opacification. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1992; 10:637-640.
  4. Briggs, RW, Liebig, T, Ballinger, JR, Ros, PR. Mechanisms that Contribute to the in Vitro Relaxation and Signal Intensity of Water in Barium Sulfate Suspensions Used as MRI Contrast Agents. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1993; 11:635-644.
  5. Liebig, T, Stoupis, C, Ros, PR, Ballinger, JR, Briggs, RW. A Potentially Artifact-Free Oral Contrast Agent for Gastrointestinal MRI. Magn. Reson. Med. 1993; 30:646-649.
  6. Kang, H, Ballinger, JR, Sweeney, C, Croker, BP, Scott, KN. P-31 Changes as a Measure of Therapy Response in Human Osteosarcomas Implanted into Nude Mice. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1994; 12(6):935-943.
  7. Mao, J, Gao, J-H, Yan, H, Ballinger, JR. Susceptibility Artifact Reduction in Fat Suppression. Magn. Reson. Med. 1995; 33(4):582-587.
  8. Ballinger, JR, Kang, H, Sweeney, CA, Scott, JD, Croker, BP, Scott, KN. P-31 Changes as a Measure of Therapy Response in Resistant and Sensitive Human Osteosarcomas Implanted into Nude Mice. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1995; 13(6):877-883.
  9. Mao, JT, Ballinger, JR. Power Efficient On-Resonance Saturation Pulses for Magnetization Transfer in Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 1996; 36:481-486.
  10. Briggs, RW, Wu, Z, Mladinich, RJ, Stoupis, C, Gauger, J, Liebig, T, Ros, PR, Ballinger, JR, Kubilis, P. In Vivo Animal Tests of an Artifact-Free Contrast Agent for Gastrointestinal MRI. Magn. Reson. Imaging 15(5):559-566, 1997.
  11. Huber, TS, Back, MR, Ballinger, JR, Culp, W, Flynn, TC, Kubilis, PS, Seeger, JM. Utility of Magnetic Resonance Arteriography for Distal Lower Extremity Revascularization. J. Vascular Surgery 26(3): 415-423, 1997.
  12. Scott, KN, Wilson, DC, Bruner, AP, Lyles, TA, Underhill, B, Geiser, EA, Ballinger, JR, Scott, JD, Stopka, CB. Automatic analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy clinical research data. Proceedings of the SPIE, the International Society of Optical Engineering, of The 26th Applied Imagery Pattern Recognition Workshop "Exploiting New Image Sources and Sensors". 3240:36-47, 1998
Abstracts:
  1. Ballinger, R, Ros, P, Magin, RL, Fitzsimmons, J, Webb, AJ. Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Colloid for Oral Contrast in MRI: In Vitro Study at 1.5 T. SMRM 1990; abstract, p. 155.
  2. Ballinger, R, Ros, P, Magin, RL, Fitzsimmons, J, Webb, AJ. Barium Sulfate Suspension as an Oral Contrast in MRI: In Vitro Optimization of Pulse Sequences and Concentration at 1.5 T. SMRM 1990; abstract, p. 738.
  3. Ballinger, R, Magin, RL, Webb, AG. Sucrose Polyester: A New Oral Contrast for MRI. SMRM 1990; works in progress, p.1105.
  4. Ballinger, R, Ros, P. High Density Barium Sulfate Suspension for Abdominal MRI: Comparison of Signal Intensity vs Concentration. SMRM 1991; abstract, p. 360.
  5. Briggs, RW, Liebig, T, Ros, PR, Ballinger, JR. Mechanisms that Contribute to Relaxivity in Barium Sulfate as an Oral GI MRI Contrast Agent: In Vitro Study of Two Commercially Available Suspensions. SMRM 1992; Vol.1, p. 1420.
  6. Liebig, T, Briggs, RW, Ros, PR, Ballinger, JR. An Artifact Free Luminal Contrast Agent for Gastrointestinal MRI. SMRM 1992; Work-in-Progress, p. 1433.
  7. Scott, KN, Kang, H, Sweeney, CA, Scott, JD, Ballinger, JR, Croker, BP. P-31 NMR Monitoring of Therapy Response of Therapy-sensitive and Therapy-resistant Human Osteosarcomas Implanted into Nude Mice. SMRM 1992; Vol. 2, p. 3522.
  8. Scott, K, Kang, H, Ballinger, J, Sweeney, C, Scott, J, Croker, B. P-31 Changes as a Measure of Therapy Response in Human Osteosarcomas Implanted into Nude Mice. SMRM 1993; Vol. 2, p. 990.
  9. Ballinger, JR, Scott, KN, and Sweeney, CA. Temperature Dependence of pH in Human Osteosarcoma Implanted in Nude Mice. 25th Southeastern Magnetic Resonance Conference, Gainesville, FL, October 29-30, 1993.
  10. Briggs, RW, Liebig, T, Stoupis, C, Ros, PR, Mladinich, C, and Ballinger, JR. An Artifact-Free Oral Contrast Agent for Gastrointestinal MRI. 25th Southeastern Magnetic Resonance Conference, Gainesville, FL, October 29-30, 1993.
  11. Chiechi, MV, Ros, PR, Ballinger, JR, Stoupis, C, and Torres, GM. Fat-suppressed MR Imaging: Comparison with Conventional T1- and T2-weighted SE MR Imaging and Helical CT in the Evaluation of Liver Lesions. RSNA 79th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, November 28 - December 3, 1993.
  12. Ballinger, JR, Scott, KN, Stopka, C, Scott, JD, Marburger,L, and Velenik, A. 31P MRS Monitoring of Low Intensity, Pain Free Exercise Therapy for Individuals with Intermittent Claudication due to Peripheral Vascular Disease. SMRM 1994; Vol. 3, p. 1267.
  13. Ballinger, JR, Scott, KN. Letter to the editor. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1995; 13(3):496.
  14. Stopka, C, Graves, J, Scott, K, Ballinger, R, Seeger, J. Pain Free Endurance Training Improves Exercise Performance in Adults with Intermittent Claudication. ICHPER?SD 38th World Congress, July 9-16,1995, p. P75-P76.
  15. Ballinger, JR, Scott, KN, Scarborough, M. 1H Spectroscopy of Musculoskeletal Tumors in Humans. SMR 1995; Vol. 3, p. 1714.
  16. Brechue, WF, Welsch, MA, Ballinger, R, Scott, K, Pepine, C. Impaired skeletal muscle metabolism during submaximal work in patients with chronic heart failure. American Heart Assoc. 68th Scientific Session, 1995.
  17. Harward, TRS, Ballinger, JR, Albright, JL, Stopka, CB, Scott, KN, Seeger, JM. The mechanism of improvement after exercise therapy in patients with intermittent claudication. The Southern Association For Vascular Surgery, 20th Annual Meeting, 1995.
  18. Welsh, M, Kluess, H, Brechue, W, Ballinger, R, Scott, K, Pollock, M, Pepine, C. Elevated Intramuscular Diprotonated Pi (H2PO4-) during Exercise in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure. J. American College of Cardiology, 27:2(SA), P. 354A, 1996.
  19. Briggs, RW; Wu, Z; Mladinich, CRJ; Stoupis, C; Gauger, J; Liebig, T; Ros,PR; Ballinger, JR; and Kubilis, P. "In Vivo Animal Tests of an Artifact-Free Contrast Agent for Gastrointestinal MRI." 4th Scientific Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance In Medicine (ISMRM), New York, April 27-May 3, 1996.
  20. Properzio, AM, Kluess, H, Welsch, MA, Scott, KN, Ballinger, JR, Lyles, T, Stopka, C, Pepine, CJ, Seeger, JM. Pcr Recovery Rates in Patients with Peripheral Vascular Disease and Heart Failure Following Low Intensity Exercise. 4th Scientific Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance In Medicine (ISMRM), New York, April 27-May 3, 1996.
  21. Stopka, C, Scott, K, Seeger, J, Ballinger, R, Kluess, H, Lyles, T, Kim, K-W, Properzio, A, Albright, J, Harward, T. Vascular, Metabolic, and Exercise Responses to a Ten Week Program of Exercise Training in Individuals with Intermittent Claudication: A New Pain Free Model. Third Paralympic Congress, August 12-16, 1996
  22. Stopka, C, Scott, K, Seeger, J, Ballinger, R, Lyles, T, Bruner, A, Graves, J. Pain Free Exercise Training for People with Peripheral Vascular Disease? Proceedings of the 5th National Conference on Adapted Physical Activity, April 3-5, 1997.
  23. Mao, Jintong, and Ballinger, J. Ray. A Local Quasi-Quadrature Transmit/Receive Breast Coil for 3.0 T MRI System. European Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and Biology, 1997 Annual Meeting.
  24. Freeman, AJ, Ballinger, R., Werner, M., Guy, J. Diffusion Weighted EPI of the Human Optic Nerve at 3T. 6th Scientific Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance In Medicine (ISMRM), Sydney, April 18-24, 1998.
Exhibits:
  1. Ballinger, R, Ros, PR, and Rappaport, D. Barium Sulfate as MR Contrast Agent: In Vitro Comparison of Ten Preparations. 20th Annual Meeting of the Society of Gastrointestinal Radiologists, LaCosta, Carlsbad, CA, February 17-21, 1991.
  2. Ballinger, R and Ros, PR. Positive Oral Contrast Agents for Use in Both MRI and CT. 9th Annual Meeting of the Society for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Chicago, IL, April 14-17, 1991.
  3. Ballinger, JR. Windows-Based Multimedia Teaching Aids for Radiology Residents. 1995 Southeastern Medical Informatics Conference, Gainesville, FL, June 10, 1995.
  4. Ballinger, JR, Scott, KN. Proton MR Spectroscopy of Musculoskeletal Tumors. The NMR POSTER95 summer electronic poster session, June 12-16 1995.
  5. Ballinger, JR. Multimedia Training Materials in Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging. The NMR Second Electronic Poster Session (NMR EPS-2), June 17-21, 1996.
  6. for 3.0 T MRI System. 6th Scientific Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance In Medicine (ISMRM), Sydney, April 18-24, 1998.
Book Chapters:

Ballinger, JR. Contrast Agents. In Abdominal Magnetic Resonance Imaging, eds: Ros, PR and Bidgood, WD, publ: Mosby, pp. 116-133, 1993.

Ballinger, JR. Radiologic Imaging in Cancer. In Medical Clinics of North America, eds: Herold, AH and Woodard, LJ, publ: W.B. Saunders Co., Vol. 80:1, January 1996.

SOFTWARE:

MRI TutorTM Software program for teaching MRI physics to radiology residents. 1994.

MRI Artifacts Software program for radiology residents.

PATENTS:

Briggs, RW, Leibig, T, Ros, PR, Ballinger, R. ?Artifact-Free Imaging Contrast Agent.? Patent serial number: 7,925,549. August 7, 1992.

Briggs, RW, Leibig, T, Wu, Zhen, Ballinger, R., Ros, PR. ?Stable Artifact-Free Imaging Contrast Suspension Agent.? Patent serial number: 5,462,053. October 31, 1995.

INVITED LECTURES:

"Introduction to MRI Physics and Terminology", Magnetic Resonance Imaging Seminar, University of Florida, Gainesville, September 9, 1995.

"MRI and MRS at 3T: Clinical Utility and Safety Issues", MRI Seminar for Technologists, University of Florida, Gainesville, September 19, 1998.

WEB SITES:

Introduction to MRI and MRI Teaching File: http://www.mritutor.org/index.html
Prime number search page: http://www.prothsearch.org/

Last updated May 20, 2008