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
201 E University Pkwy MedStar Union Memorial Hospital Baltimore, MD, 21218
410-554-2728Fax 410-554-2584
106 Irving St NW MedStar Washington Hospital Center Washington, DC, 20010
202-877-9729Fax 301-209-5616
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
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna Basic
- IH-EPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- HighMark
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Network OA
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- United Student Resources
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- IH-POS
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- CareFirst Administrators
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CIGNA PPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- IH-Open POS II
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Choice POS
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Employee Health Plan
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Choice Fund PPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Sentara Health
- Medicare FFS
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CIGNA EPO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- OA Plus
- First Health PPO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- POS OA
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Navigate
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- UHC Passport
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- IH-Open HMO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- IH-Open POS Plus
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Optimum Choice
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- IH-PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- TRICARE for Life East
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- United Healthcare Choice
- CareFirst NASCO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Beech Street PPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- IH-HMO
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- TRICARE East Prime
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna HMO
- TRICARE East Select
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers 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)