RSNA 2023 Honorary Members Aghiad Al-Kutoubi, MD

A champion of advancing interventional radiology throughout the Middle East and the world, Aghiad Al-Kutoubi, MD, earned his stripes during the golden era of vascular imaging, and he has lent his legacy to multiple generations of trainees.

“Dr. Al-Kutoubi’s diligent work to expand interventional radiology throughout the Middle East is a noteworthy legacy,” said RSNA President Matthew A. Mauro, MD. “His work building departments and training radiologists will continue to benefit the region for years to come.”

Dr. Al-Kutoubi was born in Damascus, Syria, and he earned his medical degree from Damascus University in 1975. He then moved to the United Kingdom for his post-graduate training, during a time when advanced imaging techniques  including ultrasound, CT, and MR imaging were coming into their own in clinical practice. At St. Mary’s Hospital at the University of London—now part of Imperial College—Dr. Al-Kutoubi trained under international forerunners in cerebral, coronary, vascular and peripheral angiography. He was part of the team led by David Sutton, MD, that performed the first balloon angioplasty at St. Mary’s.

In 1984, the institution appointed Dr. Al-Kutoubi as a consultant radiologist overseeing interventional radiology and CT. Dr. Al-Kutoubi also managed the busy MR imaging unit at St. Mary’s, expanding its services across the community.

In 1997 he was sought out by the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) in Lebanon to chair its Department of Radiology, revamp its services and training program to align with international standards, and evolve interventional radiology practices throughout the region. At the time many interventional procedures were not being performed by radiologists due to the limited available centers.

At AUBMC, Dr. Al-Kutoubi collaborated with colleagues in vascular, hepatobiliary, and neurologic intervention to develop a world-class comprehensive IR program. He revolutionized the AUBMC radiology department, equipping it with advanced technology, fortifying its physician workforce and delivering cutting-edge procedures to its patient population.

Dr. Al-Kutoubi became renowned for introducing endovascular aneurysm repair for the first time in the Arab Middle East. During his tenure, IR became the top choice for radiology residents in training. 

A committed educator, Dr. Al-Kutoubi was a founding member of the Arab Board of Radiology and Medical  Imaging, which has now certified more than 1,300 radiologists, and presided over the refinement of its standards and expansion into subspecialty certification. He is also the founding president of the Pan Arab Interventional Radiology Society.

Dr. Al-Kutoubi now serves as an adjunct professor of radiology at AUBMC, having served as full professor and head of the interventional radiology division for over 20 years. He has provided hands-on training to junior radiologists in cross-sectional imaging and interventional procedures in both the UK and in Beirut, and many have become outstanding leaders in their turn.

In 2008 Dr. Al-Kutoubi joined the editorial board of CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology, the longest-running journal in the subspecialty, and he served as its Middle East editor from 2011 to 2018. He has contributed to more than 155 peer-reviewed publications and 8 book chapters, and he co-edited the book Procedural Dictations in Image-Guided Intervention: Non-Vascular, Vascular and Neuro Interventions.