Ferco Berger

MD, FRCPC, EDER, FASER, FESER
Associate Scientist, Emergency/Trauma Radiologist
ferco.berger@sunnybrook.ca

The focus of Dr. Berger’s research is on optimization of imaging protocols and efficiency improvements in the setting of acute care imaging, for traumatic injuries as well as nontraumatic emergencies. This has expanded to include the setting of mass casualty incidents (MCI), which require optimization of workflow.

He is collaborating with U of T’s Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering to use discrete event simulation modelling as well as operations research to improve throughput and turnaround times in the emergency department and during MCI. The building of the new Division of Emergency & Trauma Radiology at Sunnybrook, Canada’s largest level 1 trauma centre, provides many opportunities to investigate the enhancement of imaging in the setting of acute care.

Education

  • A.A.S., 1995, Medical Biology, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • A.A.S., 1996, Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • M.Sc., 2000, Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • M.D., 2003, Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Specialist Certificate, 2008, Radiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Clinical Fellowship Certificate, 2010, Emergency & Trauma Radiology, University of British Columbia, Canada
  • Clinical Fellowship Certificate, 2011, Musculoskeletal Imaging, University of British Columbia
  • E.D.E.R., 2017, Emergency Radiology, European Society of Emergency Radiology, Austria

Appointments & Affiliations

  • Associate Scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Tory Trauma Research Program,
  • Associate Professor, Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto,
  • Deputy-Chief (Operations) and Head of Emergency and Trauma Radiology, Department of Medical Imaging, Precision Diagnostics and Therapeutics Program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre,

Research Foci

  • Mass Casualty Imaging Preparedness and Response
  • Optimization of Imaging Protocols in Emergency and Trauma Radiology
  • Quality Improvement in Emergency and Trauma Radiology

Affiliated Labs & Programs

Selected Publications

  1. Hamel C, Abdeen N, Avard B, Campbell S, Corser N, Ditkofsky N, Berger FH, Murray N. Canadian Association of Radiologists Trauma Diagnostic Imaging Referral Guideline. Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal. Online ahead of print, September 7, 2023. Available from:

  2. Camacho MA, Dunkle JW, Abu Mughli R, Johnson JO, Ledbetter MS, Nicolaou S, Sodickson AD, Chong ST, Berger FH. Starting an Emergency Radiology Division: Scheduling and Staffing, Compensation, and Equity and Parity. Radiologic Clinics of North America. 2023;61:111-118. Available from:

  3. Abu Mughli R, Durrant E, Baia Medeiros DT, Shelton D, Robins J, Qamar SR, O’Keeffe ME, Berger FH. Overnight attending radiologist coverage decreases imaging-related emergency department recalls by at least 90%. Emergency Radiology. 2021 Jan 11. Available from:

  4. Wagner MG, Fischer MR, Scaglione M, Linsenmaier U, Schueller G, Berger FH, Dick E, Basilico R, Stajgis M, Calli C, Vaidya S, Wirth S. Subspecialisation in Emergency Radiology: Proposal for a harmonised European curriculum. GMS J Med Educ. 2017;35(4):Doc61 (20171115). Available from:

  5. Berger FH, Körner M, Bernstein MP, Sodickson AD, Beenen LF, McLaughlin PD, Kool DR, Bilow RM. Emergency Imaging after a Mass Casualty Incident: role of the radiology department during training for and activation of a Disaster Management Plan. Br J Radiol. 2016 Jan;89:20150984. Available from:

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