James Spies, MD, MPH, and chair of MedStar Georgetown University Hospital’s Department of Radiology, has been chosen to receive the Society of Interventional Radiology’s 2019 Gold Medal, the Society’s highest honor. The Gold Medal is awarded to individuals who, through outstanding achievement, advance the quality of patient care while also ensuring the future of interventional radiology. Dr. Spies joined MedStar Georgetown in 1997 after working in private practice and serving four years in the United States Air Force. His practice and research in Uterine Embolization for fibroids has received acclaim internationally, where he is recognized as an authority on the…

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Martha Ramos of Germantown, Maryland is back to enjoying her active life with her two children thanks to treatment she received for a recurrent brain tumor that included proton therapy now being offered at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. In fact, Ramos, 54, was the first patient to receive proton therapy when the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Proton Therapy Center opened its doors in March 2018. “I was a little bit nervous to be the first patient at MedStar Georgetown to get proton therapy,” says Ramos though a Spanish interpreter. “But I trust my medical team wholeheartedly and after the first…

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WASHINGTON --  Can nicotine slow or stop memory loss in people experiencing mild memory problems, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI)? A new study being conducted at Georgetown University Medical Center aims to find out. Recent studies have suggested that one of the causes of memory disorders may be a reduction in a particular chemical substance in the brain. This chemical substance, known as acetylcholine, is thought to act on certain brain cells in a specific way, helping us to remember and use memories as well as affect our mood. In people with MCI (and Alzheimer’s disease), the level of acetylcholine…

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