Doctors and Staff

Leadership

Thomas M. Moriarty, M.D., Ph.D (Co-Chair)

  • Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Kosair Children's Hospital
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
  • University of Louisville School of Medicine

Dr. Moriarty graduated magna cum laude from the State University of New York in Buffalo and received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, where he was the recipient of the Medical Scientist Training Program Scholarship and the Mount Sinai Doctoral Dissertation Award. He served his internship in General Surgery and his residency in Neurosurgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, in Boston, Massachusetts. He is board eligible in neurological surgery.

Dr. Moriarty has been instrumental in implementing iMRI technology in Louisville. He began developing paradigms and software for computer-assisted minimally invasive surgery during his residency training and is regularly invited by professional organizations around the world to present the results of his groundbreaking work in this area. iMRI and his other research interests have resulted in more than 24 publications in the field of neurosurgery. Dr. Moriarty is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, AMA, KMA, and the Pediatric Section of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Christopher B. Shields, M.D. (Co-Chair)

  • Neurosurgeon, Norton Hospital Spine and Neuroscience Center
  • Norton Hospital Endowed Chair in Neurological Surgery
  • Professor and Chairman, Department of Neurological Surgery
  • University of Louisville School of Medicine

A native of Canada, Dr. Shields earned his medical degree at the University of Toronto and served his neurosurgical residency at the University of Manitoba. Following fellowship training in Microvascular Neurosurgery at the University of Vermont in Burlington, he was a research fellow in Radiosurgery-Spinal Cord Regeneration at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Dr. Shields is certified in Neurosurgery by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada-FRCS(C). He also has served as a guest examiner of the American Board of Neurological Surgery.

Dr. Shields has contributed over 110 publications to the field. He has received 23 research grant awards amounting to about $1.5 million and is a determined advocate for both increasing funding for spinal cord injury research and for ensuring that the most advanced medical technology - such as iMRI - is available to patients of the region.

In addition to his many academic duties within the university, Dr. Shields has served on numerous editorial boards and is a member of 17 national and regional professional organizations. The many leadership positions he has assumed within these organizations include President of both the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (the largest neurosurgical society in the United States) and the Kentucky Neurosurgical Society. He also has served as Chairman of the Cerebrovascular Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and is a member of the American Academy of Neurological Surgeons and the Society of Neurological Surgeons. He has been listed in Who's Who in America and in The Best Doctors in America.

Technical Director Stephen Hushek, Ph.D, is the Technical Director for the Intra-Operative MRI Department at Norton Hospital. Hushek received his Ph.D. degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. As the Technical Director, he is responsible for the development of hardware and software to maximize the utility and efficiency of the iMRI Department. Prior to accepting the position with Norton Hospital, he was the Lead Systems Designer on the Intra-Operative MR system project with General Electric Medical Systems, the manufacturer of the iMRI system at Norton Hospital. Hushek is a co-author of multiple technical articles on MR-guided therapy and holds 3 U.S. patents.

iMRI Team

The iMRI requires an extra level of expertise to be used properly. Everyone in the iMRI Center, including surgeons, MRI technologists, registered nurses, surgical technologists, anesthesiologists and radiologists, has been specially trained. Members of the team include:


 Lori Russell, R.N., BSN, is the Assistant Clinical Manager of the Norton Healthcare intraoperative MRI. Lori is responsible for the clinical coordination of the iMRI Department as it applies to patient care for both adult and pediatric patients. She was part of the team that reviewed operations at two other iMRI sites in the U.S. while setting up the department for Norton Healthcare. She obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree from Indiana University. Lori has worked as a surgical nurse for Norton Healthcare since 1988.

Robert F. Moser, RT (R) (CT) (MR) (ARRT) is one of two technologists for the Norton Hospital Intra-Operative MRI. Moser attended Western Kentucky University in 1971 and began his training at Kentucky Baptist Hospital School of Radiological Technology and Jefferson Community College in 1974. He began his career at Norton Hospital in 1977 and originated the CT Department. Moser served as Supervisor from 1982-1995. Moser worked in the CT Department for 20 years and co-originated the Open MRI Department in 1997. In 1998, Moser helped start the new iMRI Department. Moser moved into his position as technologist in December 1999.
Neil M. Hoerter, RT (R) (MR) (ARRT) is one of two technologists for the Norton Hospital Intra-Operative MRI. Hoerter graduated with a degree in Radiologic Technology from the University of Louisville in 1992. He is Board Certified in Radiography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging and has been operating MR systems since 1992. Hoerter co-originated the Open MRI Department in 1997.