About me
James Brennan Spies, MD, is professor and chair in the Department of Radiology at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. After attending Georgetown University School of Medicine, Dr. Spies completed a radiology residency at the University of California, San Francisco, and a fellowship at New York University School of Medicine in vascular and interventional radiology. He also has received a Masters of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Spies served four years in the United States Air Force. After military service, he was in private practice for several years before joining the faculty of Georgetown University in 1997. He has served as chair of the Department of Radiology since 2005.
He has an active practice in uterine embolization for fibroids. He also treats women with adenomyosis, post-partum hemorrhage, and pelvic venous disease and also varicocele in men.
He has performed extensive research in uterine embolization and is recognized as an international authority on the procedure. He has more than 160 published scientific studies, given over 400 invited presentations, and has edited a text on uterine embolization. He continues to actively research uterine embolization and the comparative outcomes for fibroid therapies.
Dr. Spies is a Fellow of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), and the American College of Radiology (ACR) and has also been named a Distinguished Fellow of the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology Society of Europe and Honorary Fellow of the British Society of Interventional Radiology. He has served on numerous national committees for both SIR and ACR and is past president of the Society of Interventional Radiology, the largest interventional radiology professional organization in the U.S. In 2019 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the SIR, its highest award, recognizing his extensive contributions to the field and for his national leadership in the organization.
My Philosophy of Care
I believe in a collaborative approach to patient care, actively involving the patient and the patient's other physicians. I believe that a well-informed patient is best able to participate in that process. I strive to ensure that patients have all the information they need to choose the medical approach best suited to them and the opportunity to fully discuss their options.
Clinical areas of focus
- Dialysis
- Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Neobladder Creation
- Portosystemic Shunt
- Stent Placement
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Dialysis Access Creation And Maintenance
- Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
- Postpartum Hemorrhage
- Renal Artery Thrombosis
- Superior Vena Cava Obstruction
- Testicular Varicocele
- Testicular Varicocele Embolization
- Thoracic Aortic Dissection
- Uterine Adenomyosis
- Uterine Fibroid Embolization
- Uterine Fibroids
- Varicose Veins Of Lower Extremities
- Vascular Malformation
- Vascular Stenosis
- Vena Cava Filter Placement
Procedures I perform
- Artificial Liver Therapy
- Bland Embolization
- Cervical Epidural Steroid Injection
- Cervical Facet Joint Injection
- Coronary Thrombectomy
- Cryoablation Of Liver Tumors
- Cystometrogram
- Dialysis
- Embolization For Bleeding
- Embolization Of Venous Malformations
- Endovascular Aortic Repair
- Float Therapy
- Gastrointestinal Tube Placement
- Gonadal Vein Embolization
- Incision And Removal Of Foreign Body
- Ligament Augmentation
- Liver Tumor Ablation
- Mesenteric Angiography
- Neobladder Creation
- Nerve Block
- Pec Implants
- Pelvic Vein Embolization
- Percutaneous Cholecystostomy
- Percutaneous Fetal Atrial Septostomy
- Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
- Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation Of Uterine Fibroids
- Percutaneous Sclerotherapy Of Varicose Veins
- Percutaneous Treatment Of Spider Veins
- Percutaneous Tumor Chemoembolization
- Portosystemic Shunt
- Radiation Therapy
- Radioembolization Of Breast Cancer
- Radiofrequency Thermoablation
- Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Cystectomy For Bladder Cancer
- Sclerotherapy With Sotradecol
- Stent Placement
- Stenting Of An Artery
- Stereotactic Radiation Therapy For Endocrine Tumors
- Sympathectomy
- Total Proctocolectomy
- Transarterial Embolization
- Uterine Artery Embolization
- Uterine Fibroid Embolization
- Varicocele Embolization
- Vein Sclerotherapy
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
18101 Prince Phillip Dr MedStar Montgomery Medical Center Olney, MD, 20832
301-774-8650miles away
106 Irving St NW MedStar Washington Hospital Center Washington, DC, 20010
202-877-9729Fax 301-209-5616
201 E University Pkwy MedStar Union Memorial Hospital Baltimore, MD, 21218
410-554-2728Fax 410-554-2584
5601 Loch Raven Blvd MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital Baltimore, MD, 21239
443-444-2430Fax 443-444-4656
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- CIGNA EPO
- CareFirst Administrators
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- IH-POS
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Choice POS
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Choice POS II
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- First Health PPO
- IH-POS Plus
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- UHC Passport
- OA Plus
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Navigate
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Choice Fund PPO
- Beech Street PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CIGNA PPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Optimum Choice
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- IH-PPO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- HighMark
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Classic 5000
- TRICARE East Select
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- IH-Open HMO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Medicare FFS
- HumanaChoice PPO
- First Health PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- HealthyBlue PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- IH-Open POS II
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- POS OA
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Medicare Direct
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Employee Health Plan
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Blue Choice Advantage
- United Healthcare Choice
- IH-EPO Plus
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- IH-HMO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Student Resources
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Sentara Health
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Network OA
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CareFirst EPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Radiology, Interventional and Diagnostic Radiology
Fellowship: New York University School of Medicine (1985)
Residency: University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine (1984)
Internship: California Pacific Medical Center (1981)
Medical School: Georgetown University Medical Center (1980)