Matthew F. Covington

Matthew F. Covington, MD

Languages spoken: English

Academic Information

Departments Adjunct - Internal Medicine

Divisions: Oncology

Board Certification

  • American Board of Radiology
  • American Board of Radiology (Nuclear Radiology)

Dr. Covington is an expert in cancer imaging, with a specific career focus on improving early detection and accurate staging of breast cancer. Dr. Covington is a dual-subspecialist in breast imaging and nuclear radiology. Prior to joining the University of Utah, Dr. Covington completed a Breast and PET oncologic imaging fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and thereafter joined the radiology faculty at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at the Washington University in St. Louis. In 2019, Dr. Covington joined the faculty at the University of Utah Department of Medical Imaging and the Huntsman Cancer Institute Center for Quantitative Cancer Imaging with a joint clinical and research appointment.

Dr. Covington has been named among the “Ones to Watch” by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging and has been awarded a prestigious 5 For the Fight fellowship for his work in molecular imaging of breast cancer. Dr. Covington is a principal investigator on a clinical trial evaluating 18F-Fluoroestradiol (FES) PET/CT imaging for individuals with invasive lobular carcinoma. Dr. Covington is also a principal investigator and collaborator on several other research studies at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, including work with CT-based body composition analysis for colon and renal cancers, circulating tumor DNA analysis, and evaluation of other novel and emerging PET imaging tracers to include FFNP-PET. Dr. Covington has unique experience with new and emerging breast imaging technologies that have led to multiple presentations and peer-reviewed publications on technologies such as contrast-enhanced mammography and molecular breast imaging.

Education History

Undergraduate Brigham Young University
 BS
Other Training National Institutes of Health
 Postbaccalaureate Studies
Professional Medical University of Utah School of Medicine
 MD
Internship Scripps Mercy Hospital
 Transitional Internship
Residency University of Arizona College of Medicine ¿ Tucson
 Resident
Fellowship University of Arizona College of Medicine ¿ Tucson
 Fellow
Fellowship Mayo Clinic
 Fellow

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Patel BK, Covington M, Pizzitola VJ, Lorans R, Giurescu M, Eversman W, Lewin J (2018). Initial Experience of Tomosynthesis-Guided Vacuum-Assisted Biopsies of Tomosynthesis-Detected (2D Mammography and Ultrasound Occult) Architectural Distortions. AJR Am J Roentgenol, 210(6), 1395-1400. (Read full article)
  2. Grillon C, Duncko R, Covington MF, Kopperman L, Kling M (2007). Acute stress potentiates anxiety in humans. Biological psychiatry, 62(10), 1183-6. (Read full article)
  3. Zhu Q, Ademuyiwa FO, Young C, Appleton C, Covington MF, Ma C, Sanati S, Hagemann IS, Mostafa A, Uddin KMS, Grigsby I, Frith AE, Hernandez-Aya LF, Poplack S (2021). Early Assessment Window for Predicting Breast Cancer Neoadjuvant Therapy using Biomarkers, Ultrasound, and Diffuse Optical Tomography. Breast cancer research and treatment, 188(3), 615-630. (Read full article)
  4. Grillon C, Chavis C, Covington MF, Pine D (2009). Two-week treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram reduces contextual anxiety but not cued fear in healthy volunteers: a fear-potentiated startle study. Neuropsychopharmacology, 34(4), 964-71. (Read full article)
  5. Covington MF, Choudhary G, Avery RJ, Krupinski EA, Kuo P (2016). Optimal Time Points for Scintigraphic Imaging of Pleuroperitoneal Shunts. Clinical nuclear medicine, 41(10), 766-8.
  6. Petkovska I, Martin DR, Covington MF, Urbina S, Duke E, Daye ZJ, Stolz LA, Keim SM, Costello JR, Chundru S, Arif-Tiwari H, Gilbertson-Dahdal D, Gries L, Kalb (2016). Accuracy of Unenhanced MR Imaging in the Detection of Acute Appendicitis: Single-Institution Clinical Performance Review. Radiology, 279(2), 451-60. (Read full article)
  7. Lundeen TF, Seibyl JP, Covington MF, Eshghi N, Kuo P (2018). Signs and Artifacts in Amyloid PET. Radiographics, 38(7), 2123-2133. (Read full article)
  8. Patel BK, Hilal T, Covington M, Zhang N, Kosiorek HE, Lobbes M, Northfelt DW, Pocka (2018). Contrast-Enhanced Spectral Mammography is Comparable to MRI in the Assessment of Residual Breast Cancer Following Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy. . Annals of surgical oncology, 25(5), 1350-1356.
  9. Yang M, Covington MF, Nguyen BD, Johnson GB, Mesa RA, Roarke M (2018). 99mTc-Sulfur Colloid Bone Marrow Scintigraphy in Diagnosis of Diffuse Pulmonary Extramedullary Hematopoiesis Secondary to Myelofibrosis. Journal of nuclear medicine technology, 46(4), 368-372. (Read full article)
  10. Lundeen TF, Covington M, Krupinski EA, Avery R, Lei H, Sherman SJ, Kuo P (2020). Accuracy of Dopamine Transporter Imaging with 123I-Ioflupane in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Patients. Journal of nuclear medicine technology, 48(2), 154-157. (Read full article)
  11. Covington MF, Krupinski E, Avery RJ, Kuo P (2014). Classification schema of symptomatic enterogastric reflux utilizing sincalide augmentation on hepatobiliary scintigraphy. . Journal of nuclear medicine technology, 42(3), 198-202.
  12. Covington MF, McMillan NA, Avery RJ, Kuo P (2013). The semicolon sign: dopamine transporter imaging artifact from head tilt. . Journal of nuclear medicine technology, 41(2), 105-7.
  13. Cornwell BR, Echiverri AM, Covington MF, Grillon (2008). Modality-specific attention under imminent but not remote threat of shock: evidence from differential prepulse inhibition of startle. Psychological science, 19(6), 615-22. (Read full article)
  14. Hilal T, Covington M, Kosiorek HE, Zwart C, Ocal IT, Pockaj BA, Northfelt DW, Patel B (2018). Breast MRI phenotype and background parenchymal enhancement may predict tumor response to neoadjuvant endocrine therapy. The breast journal, 24(6), 1010-1014. (Read full article)
  15. Covington MF, Choudhary G, Jedd, AS, Sharma P, Nael K, Krupinski EA, Khan (2017). Feasibility study of flow compensation to improve diagnostic quality of T1 post contrast spin echo MRI through the posterior fossa. International journal of health sciences, 5, 31-5.
  16. Covington MF, Sherman S, Lewis D, Lei H, Krupinski E, Kuo P (2015). Patient Survey on Satisfaction and Impact of 123I-Ioflupane Dopamine Transporter Imaging. . PloS one, 10(7), e0134457.
  17. Covington MF, McMillan NA, Kuo P (2016). Impact of Reimbursement Cuts on the Sustainability and Accessibility of Dopamine Transporter Imaging. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 13(9), 1039-43. (Read full article)
  18. Covington M (2016). A Graduate's Perspective on the ABR Dual Certification Pathway in Nuclear Radiology and Diagnostic Radiology. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 13(11), 1369-1370. (Read full article)
  19. Covington M (2015). ACR: What every radiology resident should know (and do). Journal of the American College of Radiology, 13, 109-10.
  20. Covington MF, Agan DL, Liu Y, Johnson JO, Shaw D (2013). Teaching cost-conscious medicine: impact of a simple educational intervention on appropriate abdominal imaging at a community-based teaching hospital. Journal of graduate medical education, 5(2), 284-8.
  21. Binneboese A, Covington MF, Horn KP, Archibald ZG, Boucher KM, Morton KA, Hoffman J (2021). Correlation between FDG-PET uptake and survival in patients with primary brain tumors. American journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, 11(3), 196-206. (Read full article)
  22. Covington MF, Parent EE, Dibble EH, Rauch GM, Fowler A (2022). Advances and Future Directions in Molecular Breast Imaging. Journal of nuclear medicine, 63(1), 17-21. (Read full article)
  23. Poplack SP, Young CA, Hagemann IS, Luo J, Herman CR, Wiele K, Li S, Zeng Y, Covington MF, Zhu (2021). Prospective assessment of adjunctive ultrasound-guided diffuse optical tomography in women undergoing breast biopsy: Impact on BI-RADS assessments. European journal of radiology, 145, 110029. (Read full article)
  24. Eshghi A, Covington MF, Eshghi N, Kuo P (2022). Utility of PET to Appropriately Select Patients for PSMA-Targeted Theranostics. Clinical nuclear medicine, 47(6), 488-495. (Read full article)
  25. Covington MF, Mrose HE, Brown (2022). At Which Mean Glandular Dose Does the Benefit of Breast Cancer Deaths Averted Equal the Risk of Lives Lost to Screening From Radiation-induced Malignancy for Mammography With and Without Tomosynthesis?. Journal of breast imaging, 4(1), 25-30. (Read full article)
  26. Covington MF, Hoffman JM, Morton KA, Buckway B, Boucher KM, Rosenthal R, Porretta J, Brownson KE, Matsen CB, Vaklavas C, Ward JH, Wei M, Buys SS, Chittoria N, Yakish ED, Archibald ZG, Burrell LD, Butterfield RI, Yap J (2023). Prospective Pilot Study of (18)F-Fluoroestradiol PET/CT in Patients With Invasive Lobular Carcinomas. AJR. American journal of roentgenology, 221(2), 228-239. (Read full article)
  27. Covington M (2022). Estimate of the Number of Breast Cancers Undetected by Screening Mammography in Individuals with Dense Breast Tissue. Archives of Breast Cancer, 9(4), 512-514.
  28. Brown M, Covington M (2019). Comparative Benefit-to-Radiation Risk Ratio of Molecular Breast Imaging, Two-Dimensional Full-Field Digital Mammography with and without Tomosynthesis, and Synthetic Mammography with Tomosynthesis. Radiology. Imaging cancer, 1(1), e190005. (Read full article)
  29. Surasi DS, Eiber M, Maurer T, Preston MA, Helfand BT, Josephson D, Tewari AK, Somford DM, Rais-Bahrami S, Koontz BF, Bostrom PJ, Chau A, Davis P, Schuster DM, Chapin BF, LIGHTHOUSE Study Grou (2023). Diagnostic Performance and Safety of Positron Emission Tomography with (18)F-rhPSMA-7.3 in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Unfavourable Intermediate- to Very-high-risk Prostate Cancer: Results from a Phase 3, Prospective, Multicentre Study (LIGHTHOUSE). European urology, 84(4), 361-370. (Read full article)
  30. Jani AB, Ravizzini GC, Gartrell BA, Siegel BA, Twardowski P, Saltzstein D, Fleming MT, Chau A, Davis P, Chapin BF, Schuster DM, SPOTLIGHT Study Grou (2023). Diagnostic Performance and Safety of (18)F-rhPSMA-7.3 Positron Emission Tomography in Men With Suspected Prostate Cancer Recurrence: Results From a Phase 3, Prospective, Multicenter Study (SPOTLIGHT). The Journal of urology, 210(2), 299-311. (Read full article)
  31. Covington MF, Salmon S, Weaver BD, Fajardo L (2024). State-of-the-art for contrast-enhanced mammography. The British journal of radiology, 97(1156), 695-704. (Read full article)
  32. Ferre R, Covington MF, Kuzmiak C (2024). Meta-analysis: Radial Scar and Breast MRI. Academic radiology, (Read full article)
  33. Covington M (2024). Maximizing breast cancer detection through screening: a comparative analysis of imaging-based approaches. . Clinical breast cancer,

Review

  1. Covington MF, Pizzitola VJ, Lorans R, Pockaj BA, Northfelt DW, Appleton CM, Patel BK (2018). The Future of Contrast-Enhanced Mammography. [Review]. AJR Am J Roentgenol, 210, (2), 292-300. (Read full article)
  2. Covington MF, Chin SS, Osborn A (2011). Pituicytoma, spindle cell oncocytoma, and granular cell tumor: clarification and meta-analysis of the world literature since 1893. AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology, 32(11), 2067-72.
  3. Wiggins RH, Hoffman JM, Fine GC, Covington MF, Salem AE, Koppula BR, Morton K (2022). PET-CT in Clinical Adult Oncology-V. Head and Neck and Neuro Oncology. Cancers, 14(11), (Read full article)
  4. Covington MF, Koppula BR, Fine GC, Salem AE, Wiggins RH, Hoffman JM, Morton K (2022). PET-CT in Clinical Adult Oncology: II. Primary Thoracic and Breast Malignancies. Cancers, 14(11), (Read full article)
  5. Koppula BR, Fine GC, Salem AE, Covington MF, Wiggins RH, Hoffman JM, Morton K (2022). PET-CT in Clinical Adult Oncology: III. Gastrointestinal Malignancies. Cancers, 14(11), (Read full article)
  6. Salem AE, Zaki YH, El-Hussieny G, ElNoueam KI, Shaaban AM, Koppula BR, Yang M, Salama M, Elsayes KM, Covington M (2021). Uncommon Variants of Mature T-Cell Lymphomas (MTCLs): Imaging and Histopathologic and Clinical Features with Updates from the Fourth Edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasms. Cancers, 13(20), (Read full article)
  7. Salem AE, Zaki YH, El-Hussieny G, ElNoueam KI, Shaaban AM, Koppula BR, Bustoros M, Salama M, Elsayes KM, Morton K, Covington M (2021). An Overview of Selected Rare B-Cell Lymphoproliferative Disorders: Imaging, Histopathologic, and Clinical Features. Cancers, 13(22), (Read full article)
  8. Salem AE, Fine GC, Covington MF, Koppula BR, Wiggins RH, Hoffman JM, Morton K (2022). IV. Gynecologic and Genitourinary Malignancies. Cancers, 14(12), 3000.
  9. Fine GC, Covington MF, Koppula BR, Salem AE, Wiggins RH, Hoffman JM, Morton K (2022). VI. Primary Cutaneous Cancer, Sarcomas and Neuroendocrine Tumors. Cancers, 14(12), 2835.
  10. Fine GC, Covington MF, Koppula BR, Salem AE, Wiggins RH, Hoffman JM, Morton K (2022). PET-CT in Clinical Adult Oncology-VI. Primary Cutaneous Cancer, Sarcomas and Neuroendocrine Tumors. Cancers, 14(12), (Read full article)
  11. Salem AE, Fine GC, Covington MF, Koppula BR, Wiggins RH, Hoffman JM, Morton K (2022). PET-CT in Clinical Adult Oncology-IV. Gynecologic and Genitourinary Malignancies. Cancers, 14(12), (Read full article)
  12. Salem AE, Shah HR, Covington MF, Koppula BR, Fine GC, Wiggins RH, Hoffman JM, Morton K (2022). PET-CT in Clinical Adult Oncology: I. Hematologic Malignancies. Cancers, 14(23), (Read full article)

Book Chapter

  1. Covington MF, Young CA, Appleton C (2018). American College of Radiology Performance Metrics, Reimbursement, and Economic Considerations in Breast MR Imaging. 26, 303-14.
  2. Covington M (2020). Contrast-enhanced mammography implementation, performance, and use for supplemental breast cancer screening. 59, 113-128.
  3. Covington MF, Schwarz S, Hoffman J (2021). The Regulatory and Reimbursement Process for Imaging Agents and Devices. .

Case Report

  1. Covington MF, Choudhary G, Avery RJ, Kuo P (2016). Pitfalls in the Performance and Interpretation of Scintigraphic Imaging for Pleuroperitoneal Shunt. Clinical nuclear medicine, 41(11), 858-861. (Read full article)
  2. Covington MF, Curiel CN, Lattimore L, Avery RJ, Kuo P (2017). FDG-PET/CT for Monitoring Response of Melanoma to the Novel Oncolytic Viral Therapy Talimogene Laherparepvec. Clinical nuclear medicine, 42(2), 114-115. (Read full article)
  3. Pandika V, Covington M (2019). FDG PET/CT and ultrasound evaluation of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Clinical nuclear medicine, 45(1), 68-73.
  4. Pandika V, Covington M (2019). Incidental uptake in benign gynecomastia on 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT. Clinical nuclear medicine, 44(10), 799-800.

Editorial

  1. Covington M (2020). Impact of time awake and hours slept at night on radiologists’ mammogram interpretations: why we must not burnout on radiologist burnout. 18(5), 739-740.
  2. Covington M (2022). Ultrasound Elastography May Better Characterize BI-RADS 3 and BI-RADS 4A Lesions to Decrease False-Positive Breast Biopsy Rates and Enable Earlier Detection of Breast Cancer. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 19(5), 635-636. (Read full article)
  3. Covington M (2023). Blurred Lines in Breast Density Assessment on an International Scale. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 20(7), 685-686. (Read full article)

Letter

  1. Covington MF, Brown M (2020). Molecular Breast Imaging at Ultra-Low Radiation Dose. [Letter to the editor]. AJR Am J Roentgenol, 215(2), W30. (Read full article)
  2. Zenger SK, Covington M (2021). Comparison of Country of Origin, Research Collaborations, and Funding for Original Scientific Publications in the Journal Radiology from 2009 and 2019. Radiology, 299(1), E221-E222. (Read full article)
  3. Covington MF, Seibyl J, Kuo P (2015). Adjusting ACR Appropriateness Criteria for Novel Radiopharmaceuticals. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 12(12 Pt A), 1242-3. (Read full article)
  4. Covington MF, Rhodes DJ, Pizzitola V (2016). Molecular Breast Imaging and the 2016 Update to the ACR Appropriateness Criteria for Breast Cancer Screening. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 13(12 Pt A), 1408. (Read full article)
  5. Covington M (2020). Molecular Breast Imaging Under Threat by the Protecting Access to Medicare Act and ACR Appropriate Use Criteria. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 17(4), 445. (Read full article)
  6. Covington M (2020). Molecular breast imaging deserves fair and balanced consideration. . 2(6), 519.
  7. Covington M (2022). Rethinking the ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Supplemental Breast Cancer Screening Based on Breast Density. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 19(5), 595. (Read full article)
  8. Covington M (2024). ACR Recommendations for Breast Cancer Screening Are Confusing. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 21(2), 221-222. (Read full article)

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