Alan M. Ropp, MD

Alan Ropp, MD, MS, completed medical school, diagnostic radiology, and nuclear medicine residency training and a subspecialty fellowship in cardiothoracic radiology at University of Maryland School of Medicine. Since joining the UVA faculty in 2017, he has served the radiology and medical imaging department and the UVA community as a member of the thoracic section of the body division. His clinical interests include cardiothoracic disease, thoracic MRI, lung cancer screening, radiography, and B-Reading. Dr. Ropp also provides radiology services for the pediatric radiology division.

Dr. Ropp is the only National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-certified B-Reader at UVA Health. He is one of only a handful in Virginia and is further distinguished by subspecialty training in cardiothoracic radiology. The B-Reader service includes application of the International Labor Organization (ILO) classification system in the evaluation of chest x-rays for abnormalities related to occupational exposures, including mineral dusts, such as those seen in coal worker’s pneumoconiosis (black lung) and asbestos. This program provides a critical service to Virginia’s residents, especially underserved communities in Southwestern Virginia.

In addition to pursuing clinical interests, Dr. Ropp is strongly dedicated to education and research. His educational interests include teaching medical students, radiology residents and fellows, and lecturing at specialty and subspecialty conferences. He has a special interest in research of emerging techniques in thoracic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including hyperpolarized gas MRI. Dr. Ropp’s other research interests include artificial intelligence (AI) applications in thoracic radiology and CT dose reduction, lung cancer screening, and innovations in resident education.