Department of Radiology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

The Center for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine - CharitéCenter 6 - comprises the Department of Radiology (including Pediatric Radiology), the Institute of Neuroradiology, and the Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical Physics. The Dept. of Radiology is located at all three clinical campuses of the Charité. 

At CharitéCenter 6, patient care is provided by about 150 physicians, among them approx. 60 board-certified radiologists and senior physicians, 185 technologists, and 20 nurses. The Dept. of Radiology has 14 computed tomography (CT) scanners, a large range of different types of ultrasound devices, and 12 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. Important hybrid imaging techniques available are positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET-CT) or MRI (PET-MRI) and single-photon emission computed tomography combined with computed tomography (SPECT-CT). Our department provides the full range of diagnostic imaging at the highest possible level. 

Around 60 researchers including physicists, biologists, IT specialists, engineers, and veterinarians work towards the advancement of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Our research activities include clinical trials of imaging procedures, assessment of new imaging techniques, contrast agent studies, technical innovations in the entire field of diagnostic imaging and minimally invasive treatment, and nanoscale molecular imaging. The results of our research are regularly published in high-ranking international and national scientific journals, and new developments by our department have led to several patents (including the one that generates the highest revenue among all patents currently held by the Charité).

Of particular interest is our current Collaborative Research Center (CRC; Spokesperson: Prof. Hamm) termed “Matrix in Vision”). This large transdisciplinary research collaboration investigates how alterations of the extracellular matrix – the tissue in which cells are embedded – can be visualized by radiological imaging methods. The insights expected from this research can contribute to the earlier detection of diseases and development of targeted therapies. This is the first time that the German Research Foundation is funding a CRC in diagnostic radiology. This CRC promotes translational research at the Charité.  

Our interventional radiology section provides targeted, minimally invasive local therapies for a variety of diseases ranging from vascular interventions (e.g., reopening of occluded vessels to restore blood flow) to local cancer treatment (e.g., ablation of liver tumors). Nine angiography units and ten inpatient beds are available for performing state-of-the-art and safe interventional procedures at our department. The Department of Radiology combines excellence in patient care with future-oriented research.