Between 2017 and 2026, three Radiology Subspecialty Fellowship Training Programs were established at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Interventional Radiology, Neuroradiology, and Women’s Imaging.
This initiative was supported by Road2IR and the RSNA Global Learning Center Program.
The training programs are a collaborative effort between Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), the Radiology Departments at Yale and Emory University. I have participated in on-site sessions in the past (2018, 2019, and 2025).
During my tenure at MNH in February 2025, I identified a need for further training in cardiac imaging, particularly cardiac MRI. This training is challenging not only to interpret but also technically to acquire the images. This prompted me to initiate a Cardiac MRI training initiative, which will eventually be integrated into a planned formal Cardiothoracic Radiology Fellowship Program through MUHAS.
Over the past six months, I have conducted an online course on Cardiac MRI for a select group of radiologists and two technologists. I will spend two weeks working with radiologists and technologists on-site, dividing my time between didactic lectures, case reviews, and scanning two to three patients daily. In the follow-up phase, I will provide case review sessions to support the program remotely between site visits.
MNH, a 1,259-bed quaternary referral hospital located in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, serves as the premier medical referral center in Tanzania and extends its services to neighboring East African countries. Additionally, MNH offers radiology training for East Africa.
The affiliated Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute, situated on the MNH/MUHAS campus, functions as a 157-bed teaching hospital with a weekly outpatient volume of 1,800. It serves as the regional cardiovascular referral center for Tanzania and its neighboring East African nations.
Over the past two decades, cardiac MRI has emerged as an indispensable component of cardiac patient care, encompassing both adult and pediatric populations. Cardiovascular disease is on the rise in East Africa. The primary objective is to equip cardiac radiologists with the necessary expertise to perform cardiac MRIs for the cardiac patients at the affiliated Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute .
Cardiac MRI at Muhimbili National Hospital
I want to express many thanks to the Doximity Foundation for the travel grant enabling me to serve as visiting faculty at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) and Muhimbili University of Health Sciences (MUHAS).
The trip had two primary objectives: continuing the training of local radiologists and MRI technologists in cardiac MRI (CMRI) and presentations to referring physicians regarding the utility of CMRI in clinical practice.
Training of designated radiologists and technologists included lectures on ECG gating, various MRI techniques employed in CMRI, and MRI artifacts; also, didactic sessions on ischemia and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies, emphasizing the role of CMRI in diagnosis and follow-up.
We had hands-on scanning sessions on both volunteers and patients. Our initial case involved a patient with amyloid cardiomyopathy.
I had the opportunity to present grand rounds titled “Cardiac MRI: Why Bother?” at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute. This included 9 clinical scenarios where cardiac MRI would contribute to patient care. There was general consensus amongst the cardiology staff that myocardial viability testing with CMRI would be highly beneficial prior to revascularization.
Given the large sickle cell population at the hematology clinic, we presented data to the hematology group regarding myocardial and hepatic iron deposition in patients with sickle cell anemia and risk factors for iron overload.
As in prior years, the staff were very appreciative of our efforts. We are continuing case reviews and lectures virtually, and it is my hope that cardiac imaging will grow further at MNH and MUHAS.
