photo by Brianna Phillips
One of the most rewarding procedures Dr. Janice McDaniel, a pediatric interventional radiologist at Akron Children’s Hospital, performs is the treatment of a bone tumor called an osteoid osteoma. Though benign, it can cause the children she treats, including one young athlete, immense pain. Using imagery and a needle, she’s able to freeze the tumor, preventing the need for invasive surgery.
“The pain was limiting his ability to participate,” McDaniel says of the athlete. “He could have had it treated by surgical resection, but that would have probably taken him out for an entire season. With this type of procedure, he was able to get back to sports a lot sooner.”
Interventional radiology can make a huge difference for a patient, and for McDaniel, it all starts with diagnosing an issue through imaging. This expertise makes her an invaluable major in the United States Army Reserve, for which she serves as a diagnostic radiologist — primarily providing services for soldiers and their families.
“The radiologist is like the C.S.I. investigator,” McDaniel explains. “For instance, if you have a patient that comes in with belly pain, you can do an exam, you can draw some labs, but you may not come up with the exact diagnosis. However, if you get a CAT scan of that patient, and you see their gallbladder is enlarged and inflamed … we solved the case.”
McDaniel is assigned to a field hospital unit drilling out of Columbus. Though she has yet to be deployed, McDaniel has practiced setting up a 32-bed mobile hospital. She’s also worked at stateside Army medical treatment facilities such as Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, where she read imaging, and Madigan Army Medical Center, near Seattle, where she performed interventional procedures. She says she is honored and privileged to be a part of the armed forces.
“I got an email about serving in the military, and I thought, There’s no better way to serve others than serving the men and women in the military,” McDaniel says. “I’ve fulfilled my initial commitment of three years, but I don’t see any reason to get out or leave. I really enjoy what we do.”
In 2022, McDaniel was awarded the Army Achievement Medal for her recruitment efforts. She likes to talk with other physicians who are considering joining — even helping the Army to acquire another radiologist.
“If you’re good at your job, then you should want to help as many people as you can,” McDaniel says. “Being in the military allows me to help more people, and helping our soldiers that are serving us — that’s a win-win.”
