Dr. Linda Hovanessian Larsen was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from USC Keck School of Medicine, Dr. Larsen completed her residency training in Diagnostic Radiology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and her fellowship training at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami, Florida. She began working as an Assistant Professor in Radiology at the University of Miami Medical Center, specializing in breast imaging. In 1998, she and her family moved back to Los Angeles, and she joined the faculty of the USC Keck School of Medicine, Department of Radiology (DOR).
Dr. Larsen soon became the Director of Mammography for the LAC+USC Medical Center. She has always advocated the multidisciplinary team approach to patient care. She has worked closely with the breast surgeons, oncologists, and pathologists to provide high-quality, equitable healthcare for the community. In 2003, Dr. Larsen became the Chief of Women’s Imaging (now Breast Imaging). She currently oversees the Norris Breast Center, Verdugo Hills Breast Center, and LAC+USC County Mammography.
Dr. Larsen has served on administrative and clinical committees for the DOR and has spearheaded many of the Breast Imaging research projects. She incorporated the USC DOR into the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN), which is a national multicenter organization supported in part by the National Cancer Institute.Dr. Larsen’s main area of research concentrates on innovative breast imaging techniques, including digital breast tomosynthesis, automated whole breast ultrasound, and contrast-enhanced breast ultrasound. She has received grant awards from the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Whittier Foundation, and participates in NCI-ACRIN, I-SPY 2, and SWOG multicenter trials. Her most rewarding project was an NIH funded grant for the Susan Love Foundation, which evaluated a low-cost ultrasound device used to triage palpable breast lumps in women living in low-income countries that do not readily have access to healthcare.
Dr. Larsen is a recognized leader in the field of breast imaging, lecturing locally and nationally on breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and advanced imaging techniques. She enjoys reaching out to women in the community and educating them about the best tools available for early detection of breast cancer. However, by far, her most favorite teaching involves medical students, residents, and fellows on the clinical service. She believes the diverse patient populations and clinical experiences at LAC+USC Mammography and the Norris Breast Center together provide an unparalleled foundation for an outstanding education in breast imaging.
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