Dr. Dheeraj Gandhi: Neurointerventional Surgery Expert and Cerebrovascular Specialist

Advanced Neurointerventional Leadership at the University of Maryland

When patients face complex cerebrovascular diseases like brain aneurysms, strokes, and vascular malformations, the clinical approach requires a careful blend of technical precision and advanced innovation. At the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Dr. Dheeraj Gandhi serves as professor of radiology, neurology, and neurosurgery, alongside serving as vice chair of academic affairs and director of neurointerventional surgery.

Guiding his daily clinical and research practice is a foundational philosophy inspired by humorist Mark Twain: The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. For Dr. Gandhi, that guiding purpose centers on improving patient outcomes and driving medical innovation forward. He remains committed to helping patients and their families understand disease conditions and therapy options throughout the entire recovery process.

Research Initiatives and Clinical Trials

Dr. Gandhi’s academic career spans more than 260 published manuscripts and an H-Index of 48. His scholarly findings have been published within prominent peer-reviewed journals, such as The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, Stroke, Radiology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and The Journal of the American Medical Association. His work has secured continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, and industry partners.

Among his current investigative work, Dr. Gandhi serves as principal investigator on unique investigator-initiated trials exploring MR-guided focused ultrasound for neuropathic pain, trigeminal neuralgia, and task-specific dystonia. Furthermore, he contributes as a national principal investigator for the SOFAST and RESTORE mechanical thrombectomy studies, and previously directed neuroimaging for randomized controlled trials such as CLEAR and MISTIE.

Educational Background and Professional Development

Dr. Gandhi’s formal training began at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in 2000, followed by an internship at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in 2001. He completed a residency in diagnostic radiology at The Ottawa Hospital in 2002, a neuroradiology fellowship at the University of Michigan Hospitals in 2003, and an interventional neuroradiology fellowship at the University of Michigan in 2004. He holds American Board of Radiology certifications in diagnostic radiology (2017) and neuroradiology (2019).

Training the Next Generation of Medical Specialists

Beyond his clinical and research obligations, Dr. Gandhi maintains an active role in medical education. He played a key role in developing two of the six total neurointerventional surgery fellowships recognized by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Many of the residents and fellows he has mentored have gone on to earn prestigious national awards.

His academic contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude awards from the American Society of Neuroradiology, outstanding presentation awards in 2023 and 2024 from the same society, a Certificate of Merit from the Radiological Society of North America, an award for editorial excellence from Radiology, the Shock Trauma Hero Award, and Fellow of the American College of Radiology.

Patient satisfaction metrics for Dr. Gandhi reflect high levels of positive feedback across survey categories. Overall satisfaction scores average 5 out of 5 stars, with individual metrics for provider concern, clear explanations, inclusion in decisions, and discussion of treatment options all averaging 4.9 out of 5 stars.

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