Alfred Z. Abuhamad

Offers student research opportunities
Positions
EVMS Directory Profile

research overview

  • Alfred Abuhamad has been elaborated in clinical research for his entire academic career and published numerous articles on ultrasound in obstetrics and on fetal cardiovascular assessment. While at EVMS, he conducted clinical research focusing on maternal obesity and ultrasound assessment of fetal anatomy. Alfred Abuhamad with EVMS research team was the first to develop software for automation of ultrasound of the fetal heart by relying on two important concepts of 3D ultrasound. First, the acquired volume of a particular anatomic structure by 3D ultrasonography, such as a volume of the fetal heart, contains all the anatomic 2D planes for a complete anatomic evaluation of this structure. Second, for every human organ, these 2D planes that are required for a complete anatomic evaluation of that particular organ are organized in a constant anatomic relationship to each other. The automation software is now available commercially on many GE ultrasound equipment.

    He carried out another study with immerse contribution to science: Fetal Cardiac Axis and Congenital Heart Defect in Early Gestation. Alfred Abuhamad's research team was a pioneer to report on the normal values of fetal cardiac axis (CA) in the first and early second trimester of pregnancy. The purpose of this case-control study was to investigate the association between abnormal cardiac axis and fetal congenital heart disease in order to demonstrate the potential clinical applicability of cardiac axis measurement for detection of congenital heart disease in early gestation. Study has showed that abnormal cardiac axis in early gestation is highly correlated with congenital heart defect and can be used as a screening tool. Adding cardiac axis assessment to the nuchal translucency measurement is helpful in defining a population at risk for fetal congenital heart defect.

overview

  • Alfred Abuhamad's training and strong interest are in fetal & maternal medicine, in ultrasound and prenatal diagnosis over the past two decades and since his fellowship training in maternal-fetal medicine and in ultrasound and prenatal diagnosis at Yale New Haven Medical Center. Prior to that, he attended American University of Beirut where he earned a M.D. in 1985. After graduate school, Dr. Abuhamad became the Assistant Professor of OB/GYN and Director of Ultrasound at EVMS in Norfolk (1992-1997). His involvement in the field of ultrasound is primarily focused on the study of Doppler ultrasound, fetal echocardiography and fetal cardiovascular assessment. He has numerous research projects focused on obstetrics sonography and published a very successful book on fetal echocardiography. Recently, he had published an open access e-book (www.openultrasound.com) on the practical aspect of ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology, a book that has been downloaded more than 20,000 times and translated to 10 languages over a 36 months period. Dr. Abuhamad has also chaired several fetal echocardiography and obstetrical ultrasound educational courses and established an outreach committee within the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics &Gynecology (ISUOG) for ultrasound education and training in under-served communities. This has become a very successful model for the introduction of ultrasound in remote settings. He is actively engaged in several national and international organizations.

    He is the past president of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (www.AIUM.org), Perinatal Quality Forum (www.PQF.org) and the Society of Ultrasound in Medical Education (www.SUSME.org). Alfred Abuhamad is a current president of the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (www.SMFM.org). He is actively involved in maternal and fetal patient care and fetal echocardiography. He has also been elaborated in clinical research for his entire academic career and published numerous articles on ultrasound in obstetrics and on fetal cardiovascular assessment. Dr. Abuhamad has chaired NIH study section on fetal growth and co-chaired an NICHD forum on fetal imaging and fetal growth restriction. He is the current PI on an NIH RO1 grant on the study of the human placenta.

selected publications

preferred title

  • Professor And Chairman Department Of Obstetrics And Gynecology

full name

  • Alfred Z. Abuhamad, MD

recognition and awards

  • 2018- State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award
    2015- Healthcare Hero's Award, Inside Business Magazine, February edition, Norfolk, VA
    2003-2013- Hampton Roads, Top Doctors
    2012- Dean's Faculty Award for Achievement in Institutional Service, EVMS
    2009-2012- Best Doctors in America
    2010- Healthcare Hero's Award, Inside Business Magazine, January edition, Norfolk, VA
    2008- America's Top Doctors for Women, Women's Health Magazine, November edition
    2008- Dean's Outstanding Faculty Award, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia
    2008- MD News, Hampton Roads May/June Edition, Cover Story Physician
    2006- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, Gamma Chapter, EVMS

visualizations

Publications in VIVO

research areas