Christopher Comstock Joins Columbia Radiology

The Department of Radiology is pleased to announce that Christopher Comstock, MD, FACR, FSBI, will join the department on November 1, 2026, as professor of radiology in the Division of Breast Imaging.

An internationally recognized leader in breast imaging, Comstock has helped shape the field through pioneering work in breast MRI, contrast-enhanced mammography, and screening for women with dense breasts. He has led numerous multicenter clinical trials and has served as principal investigator on major studies supported by the American College of Radiology, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, advancing evidence-based approaches to breast cancer detection and diagnosis. He currently serves as study chair of the ACR Contrast Mammography Imaging Screening Trial (CMIST) multicenter study comparing contrast mammography to digital breast tomosynthesis.

"We’re excited to welcome Dr. Comstock to Columbia and NewYork-Presbyterian," said Ajay Gupta, MD, MS, James Picker Professor of Radiology and chair of the Department of Radiology. "His exceptional record of innovation, clinical excellence, and mentorship will further strengthen the department’s commitment to advancing breast imaging, expanding access to leading-edge screening and diagnostic technologies, and improving outcomes for patients."

Comstock has held numerous leadership positions within the American College of Radiology (ACR), EGOC-ACRIN, and the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). He currently serves as Chair of the ACR Commission on Research and previously served as imaging co-chair of the ECOG-ACRIN Breast Committee, where he has played a central role in the development and conduct of national breast imaging clinical trials. He also previously chaired the ACR BI-RADS MRI Lexicon Subcommittee and the ACR Breast Ultrasound Accreditation Program. He is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications, reviews, book chapters, and textbooks, including Abbreviated MRI of the Breast: A Practical Guide and the American College of Radiology's BI-RADS® MRI Atlas.

Comstock earned his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine, followed by a diagnostic radiology residency at the Ochsner Clinic and Foundation and a fellowship in breast imaging at the University of Chicago. Following his training, he held faculty appointments at the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of California, San Diego, where he served as section chief of breast imaging. More recently, from 2009 to 2024, Dr Comstock was an attending radiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center with roles including director of breast imaging clinical trials and program director for the Breast Imaging Fellowship. He is currently a professor of clinical radiology at Weill Cornell Medicine.