Maya Vella, MD

Dr. Maya Vella is a radiologist who specializes in heart and lung imaging. She cares for adults with lung and chest conditions and for children with heart disorders. In addition to interpreting cardiothoracic images, she performs lung biopsies guided by computed tomography (CT) imaging.

Vella's research has examined several radiological topics, including the use of CT and PET to determine lung cancer location and MRI's effectiveness as a screening tool for cerebral arteriovenous malformations (abnormal tangles of arteries and veins in the brain that can rupture) in patients with the genetic disorder called hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. She has also studied gender disparities in academic radiology leadership and best practices for the diagnosis and care of gastrointestinal cancer patients whose cancer has spread to the lungs. Her current projects include the creation of radiology-based criteria for diagnosing hypersensitivity pneumonitis (a lung disease caused by environmental allergens) and an analysis of grading schema for medical students.

Vella earned her medical degree from UCSF, where she also completed a residency in diagnostic radiology and a fellowship in cardiac and pulmonary imaging. In 2021, she was awarded a T32 research training grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Vella has a special interest in radiology education and enjoys teaching residents one-on-one, participating in the thoracic tumor board with other specialists from various disciplines, and attending conferences on interstitial lung disease.