Biography
Dr Maya Jafari BSc (MedSc) MBBS MRCS MSc FRCR is a consultant musculoskeletal (MSK) radiologist at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
She specialises in diagnostic and interventional MSK imaging across:
- Radiography
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Computed tomography (CT)
- Ultrasound
- Fluoroscopy, performing a range of image-guided MSK procedures.
Dr Jafari completed her medical training in Sydney, Australia, and basic surgical training and radiology training in the United Kingdom, including a post-CCT MSK fellowship at Leeds Teaching Hospitals.
She holds an MSc in Evidence-Based Medicine (Orthopaedics) from Teesside University and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR).
She is the iRefer MSK editor and clinical advisor at the RCR, leading national guidance on MSK imaging.
She serves on the MSK FRCR 2A panel, contributed to RCR Learn MSK curriculum mapping, and developed educational initiatives for radiology trainees and allied health professionals (AHPs) across the North-East and North Cumbria.
Dr Jafari is Chief Investigator on a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded study on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) imaging, leading projects on artificial intelligence (AI) driven surgical planning, and public attitudes towards AI in NHS diagnostic imaging.
She is also a advisory editor for Clinical Radiology, a peer reviewer for multiple journals, and has supervised residents and radiographers in multiple research awards winning research and quality improvement projects.
Her research and academic interests include MSK imaging, spinal interventions, AI literacy in healthcare, guideline development, and service redesign to improve clinical efficiency and patient care.
Dr Jafari is also active in public engagement, with media features highlighting her work on AI in radiology and efforts to reduce radiation exposure in paediatric scoliosis imaging.
Special interests
- MSK imaging: MRI, CT, ultrasound, radiography.
- Image-guided interventions: injections, dry needling, biopsies.
- Spinal imaging and interventional radiology.
- AI literacy and workforce efficiency in healthcare.
- Clinical guideline development and implementation.
- Education and supervision of trainees and AHPs.
Education and training
- Specialty radiology training, Health Education North East.
- Post-CCT MSK fellowship, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
- MSc in Evidence-Based Medicine (Orthopaedics), Teesside University.
Publications
- Seconds that matter: the hidden burden of vetting times on radiology workflow
- Adapt or perish: should AI literacy be mandatory for the NHS workforce?
- A Prospective comparative study of quantitative X-ray (QXR) versus dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to determine the performance of QXR as a predictor of bone health for adult patients in secondary care
- Ultrasound-guided sub-acromial-subdeltoid bursa corticosteroid injections: a study of short- and long-term outcomes
- Do quantitative and qualitative shear wave elastography have a role in evaluating musculoskeletal soft tissue masses?