SCREENINGS

Fox 8 news anchor and New Day Cleveland co-host Natalie Herbick learned that there were different kinds of breast-cancer screenings during her risk assessment. The following is information she wished she’d sought out much earlier.

The mammogram: Dr. Holly Marshall, division chief of breast imaging at University Hospitals, and Cleveland Clinic breast radiologist Dr. Laura Dean both describe mammography as “the gold standard” for breast-cancer screening. Dr. Dean says mammography has evolved from a two-dimensional to three-dimensional screening, known as 3-D mammography or breast tomosynthesis, that increases visibility through breast tissue, in turn increasing cancer detection. “It also decreases the false-positive rate,” she says. Dr. Marshall says that detecting cancers in people with dense breast tissue using this X-ray technology still can be challenging. “One of the early signs of breast cancer [on a mammogram] are calcifications,” the result of a proliferation of cancer cells that die and calcify. Those calcifications show up as white specs and dots in the dark fatty tissue. Dense breast tissue consists of more fibrous tissue, milk glands and milk ducts that also show up as white and can make calcifications as well as masses more difficult to identify.

The MRI: Dr. Dean says magnetic resonance imaging is used to supplement mammography for people at a 20%-plus risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime because of dense tissue, radiation to the chest, abnormal mammograms or biopsies, and/or a family history of developing the disease. Dr. Marshall describes strong magnetic fields and radio waves that, along with a contrast administered by IV, create images that illustrate blood flow in breast tissue.

The whole-breast ultrasound: Dr. Marshall says that some people are not able to get an MRI. For them, the ultrasound is a viable screening alternative. Dr. Dean describes it as more of an anatomical exam. “Whereas a cyst is nice and smooth and round and black, meaning it’s fluid, on the ultrasound, most cancers tend to have almost what we call a shaggy appearance,” she says. She notes, however, that it isn’t quite as accurate. Dr. Marshall concurs. “It may pick up one to two additional cancers that weren’t seen on mammograms,” she says. “But by far, the more sensitive modality is MRI.”

2023 Best Doctors

By Anthony Elder

Dr. Diana

Ponsky’s journey from a 5-year-old refugee to a mother of three and Beachwood’s premiere facial plastic surgeon.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY MEGANN GALEHOUSE

On any given day, Dr. Diana Ponsky barely has 15 minutes to spare. As the founder of Ponsky Facial Plastic Surgery in Beachwood — open since 2016 — and a volunteer at Case Western Reserve University, she balances her day on a tightrope.

On a Wednesday, for example, Ponsky is likely to perform surgeries all day before she zips over to Beachwood High School, where she gives a lecture on what the students need to consider if they’re interested in her field. On Monday, she's "half-mom, half-doctor" spending time with her three gradeschool daughters.

“She somehow runs the family, runs the household, can fix anything in the house, pays the bills, helps make dinner and never says a word about it,” says Dr. Todd Ponsky, Diana’s husband and pediatric surgeon.

For Diana, the hectic schedule is worth it when she steps back and looks at the impact of her work. Her practice offers most facial procedures, from simple injectables to the more invasive rhinoplasty — a nose job.

OHowever, the doctor extended her reach into education and charitable initiatives long ago, working with local charities like Medworks where she provides free healthcare, no questions asked.

“When the Ukrainian war happened, my kids helped Medworks with collecting blankets and stuff so we could ship it overseas,” she says with a proud smile.

Similar humanitarian efforts have drawn Diana for years. Aside from Medworks, she’s done two free procedures for Faces to Faces — a charitable arm of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery — in which she helped survivors of domestic abuse recover from facial injury.

In college, even before med school, Diana took a trip to Siberia with Operation Smile, known for its work correcting cleft lips and palates.

At the mention of Siberia, the doctor makes a connection and chokes up a bit, thinking of her own family and the dozens of people they depended on through the years — for survival and to help them build a new life.

“When I came to this country,” she says, “it was through the help of others.”

BORN DIANA CHUONG , her family first came to the United States as South Vietnamese refugees.

Her parents were merchants living on the southern coast and there was ongoing war incited by the North, an authoritarian communist state known as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, fighting for full control.

“This was toward the end of the war, when the North was burning everything in the South,” Diana says. “My family tried to stick around as long as they could. And they finally just decided it’s too much political unrest, very much like Ukraine [currently]. So they left. And back then, the country didn’t allow you to leave.”

What ensued was harrowing, with a 5-year-old Diana barely old enough to understand broad details.

They left in the middle of the night, buying their way with gold bars, she says, recalling the turbulent fall of Vietnamese currency at the time. The journey was not without incident.

“You never knew if your ship was going to make it,” she recalls decades later. “You had to go on hope and [trust] this little raft. My grandmother got captured [and] had to go back home; our whole family left but in different boats, and her boat got captured. And then she was thrown in jail in her late

'60s with my great-grandmother, who ended up dying there.”

The rest of the Chuong family eventually completed the voyage. They ended up on a neutral island in Indonesia, where they awaited sponsorship from another country. Housing was bare and crowded, but they were more or less safe — finally.

Following that fateful getaway, Diana could’ve ended up in Canada, the United States, Australia or Paris — all open countries accepting refugees.

However, it was a branch of the Catholic Church in the U.S. that granted them refuge. The church brought Diana’s family to the country and moved them as close as possible to distant relatives in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Diana pauses for a moment recounting the story, crying in a consultation room as she thinks again about her children sending blankets to Ukraine.

“I was telling them, ‘That’s how we were helped when we were younger,’” she says.

In Allentown, Diana’s mother took up work at a Dunkin' Donuts and her father washed dishes at a local restaurant. All the while, her parents stressed the importance of studying, of getting good marks in school for the sake of a brighter future.

After a few years, they made the move to New York City in search of better opportunities. While they stayed there

Four Things To Consider Before You Opt For Plastic Surgery

The uses of plastic surgery can range from functional, necessary operations to cosmetic self-esteem boosters. Before you consider that brow lift, here are four things to consider before pursuing facial plastic surgery, courtesy of Dr. Diana Ponsky.

Consider your overall health. As with any medical procedure, the healing process and procedure itself will likely go more smoothly if you take care of yourself. It’s as simple as drinking water, working out regularly, abstaining from cigarettes and maintaining a generally healthy diet.

Correct mindset. Dr. Ponsky stresses that a proper mindset goes a long way. “We want someone who knows that cosmetic surgery is not something you need, but something that you want to help you feel better about yourself.” Understand that surgery, while it can help boost confidence, will not solve every problem in your life.

It takes time to heal. Understand that healing doesn’t happen quickly and ask someone to help you during recovery. Ponsky warns that procedures like a rhinoplasty can take at least 10 days for social healing — looking well enough to go out — and even longer for physical activity like exercise. Having a friend or loved one that can help you buy groceries or lift heavy things while you heal goes a long way.

Do your research. There will always be shadier options for cosmetic surgery — we’ve all heard the back-alley Brazilian butt lift horror stories — so look into your local surgeons and ensure that they are board-certified for surgery. “Qualifications of your physician is so important in this day and age of everything being on the internet. You don’t know what to believe or who to believe.” for a time, Diana’s mother eventually moved back to Allentown, bouncing Diana back and forth between Pennsylvania and New York City before she decided to attend Stuyvesant High School, a specialized and prestigious college prep school in the big city. working regularly with Medworks, too.

“[My mother] thought I was just goofing around in New York and she threatened to take me back to Allentown,” Diana says. “And we convinced her — a teacher of mine and his wife convinced her — to let me stay to go to the high school there."

It was at this time that Diana first glimpsed the medical profession. Along with attending Stuy, she found herself working for Dr. Lilianna Sauter, a Swiss dermatologist on N.Y.C.’s Park Avenue, who took Diana under her wing. A few times, she brought Diana with her to the National Academy of Science’s lectures or to local museums, making the young student take notes.

In retrospect, she became Diana’s role model — both as a medical professional and as a woman navigating a male-dominated space. Before her passing, Sauter was honored as a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and worked as a foreign medical graduate for the Mount Sinai staff in N.Y.C. — achievements worth celebrating, Diana says.

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, he told them that he would not be relocating.

WHEN

The Time Finally Came

for med school, Diana set her sights on Georgetown University, where she graduated in 2000 and eventually met Todd, who would become her husband.

As a college student, the urge to pay back years of help kicked in fast. She took that opportunity in Siberia assisting with Operation Smile. But it didn’t take long after graduating for Diana to involve herself with Ponsky Family charity work, assisting with MedWish — founded by Todd’s Brother, Dr. Lee Ponsky — which provides medical surplus supplies to people in need.

By 2012 she took part in her first Faces to Faces surgery and continues

While things progressed quickly for Diana, so too did Todd’s career. Going into helper mode once again, she dedicated herself to his success — at times putting her own momentum on the back burner. With Todd’s career in the driver’s seat, Diana followed him from place to place.

When Todd needed to finish training in Washington, D.C., Diana stayed and worked a temporary job at the Veterans Affairs Hospital. When Todd needed needlescopic surgery training in Denver, Diana followed.

So when the time came for Diana to focus on her goals — namely, establishing a private practice with worklife balance in mind — Todd knew it was time to hand over the reins. Diana opened Ponsky Facial Plastic Surgery in 2016 in Beachwood after the couple returned to the Cleveland area. When Todd later accepted a position at the

“My wife who followed me all over everywhere and never said a word about it? Well, now it’s her turn,” Todd insists. “They asked me to move down there, and I said I cannot because it’s Diana’s turn. So, I drive there.”

In the past six years, Diana has been able to grow her practice into one of the most successful in the area, serving upwards of 300 patients a year. In tandem with her work-life balance goals, the surgeon finds time to give back to her community through charitable healthcare and lessons she teaches at local high schools and Case Western Reserve University.

“I've had mentors and role models who’ve shown me that persistence and hard work are always admired," she says. "I want to continue to pay that forward by helping others and being an example to others."

How We Did It

The doctors in this feature were selected by Professional Research Services (PRS), which conducted an online peer-review survey of area physicians in Northeast Ohio. Physicians were asked to nominate fellow physicians they deemed the best in their field of practice. Many votes were cast honoring excellence in all fields of medicine. The featured doctors were screened and selected through the verification of licensing and review of any infractions through applicable boards, agencies and rating services. Cleveland Magazine was not involved in the selection process. Please consult a professional before making any decisions regarding your personal care. Inclusion in the list is based on the opinions of responding doctors in the region and the results of our research campaign. We take great time and energy to ensure fair voting, but this list is only a sampling of the huge array of talented professionals within the region. For additional information, visit prscom.com.

Please refer to the following addresses when none is listed for these institutions.

Akron Children’s Hospital

1 Perkins Square, Akron 330-543-1000 akronchildrens.org

Cleveland Clinic/ Cleveland Clinic Children’s 9500 Euclid Ave., Cleveland 216-444-2200 clevelandclinic.org Lake Health

Various locations 800-780-7781 lakehealth.org

Addiction Medicine

William Goldman ACH 215 W. Bowery St. Akron 330-543-5015

Akhil Anand CC 1730 W. 25th St. Cleveland 216-636-5860

David Streem CC 1730 W. 25th St. Cleveland 216-636-5860

Youssef Mahfoud VA 216-791-3800

Christina M. Antenucci MH 216-778-5500

Theodore V. Parran SV 2351 E. 22nd St. Cleveland 216-861-6200

Sybil Marsh UH 440-623-7708

Adolescent Medicine

Crystal Cole ACH

215 W. Bowery St., Akron 330-543-8538

Jessica Castonguay ACH 215 W. Bowery St., Akron 330-543-8538

Ellen Rome CCC 216-444-5437

Tornia Wyllie CCC 216-444-5437

Veronica Issac CCC 216-444-5437

Margaret M. Stager MH 216-778-2222

Rina Lazebnik RB 216-541-1945

Key

ACH: Akron

Children’s Hospital

CC: Cleveland Clinic

CCC: Cleveland Clinic Children’s

LH: Lake Health

VA: Louis Stokes

Cleveland VA Medical Center

MH: MetroHealth System

Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center 10701 East Blvd., Cleveland 216-791-3800 cleveland.va.gov

MetroHealth System 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Cleveland 216-778-7800 metrohealth.org

Allergy and Immunology

Richard Lavi

Allergy Asthma & Sinus Relief Center

3618 W. Market St., Fairlawn 330-423-4444

Devi Jhaveri

Allergy/Immunology Associates

5915 Landerbrook Drive, Mayfield Heights

216-381-3333

Haig Tcheurekdjian

Allergy/Immunology Associates

5915 Landerbrook Drive, Mayfield Heights

216-381-3333

Robert W. Hostoffer

Allergy/Immunology Associates

5915 Landerbrook Drive, Mayfield Heights

216-381-3333

David M. Lang CC

551 E. Washington St., Chagrin Falls

440-893-9393

James M. Fernandez CC

216-444-6933

Lily Pien CC

216-444-3386

Ahila Subramanian CC

16761 S. Park Center, Strongsville

440-878-2500

Sandra Hong CC

16761 S. Park Center, Strongsville

440-878-2500

Julie K. Sterbank MH

216-778-2213

Kathryn Ruda Wessell RB

216-541-1095

Princess Ogbogu RB

216-946-4668

Southwest General Health Center 18697 Bagley Road, Middleburg Heights 440-816-8000 swgeneral.com

St. Vincent Charity Medical Center 2351 E. 22nd St., Cleveland 216-861-6200 stvincentcharity.com

Summa Health System 525 E. Market St., Akron 330-375-3000 summahealth.org

University Hospitals/ University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital 11100 Euclid Ave., Cleveland 866-844-2273 (main) 216-844-5437 (children’s) uhhospitals.org

SG: Southwest General Health Center

SV: St. Vincent Charity Medical Center

SH: Summa Health System

UH: University Hospitals

RB: UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital

Samuel Friedlander UH 34055 Solon Rd. Solon 440-836-9366

Anesthesiology

Kasia Rubin CC 6770 Mayfield Road, Mayfield Heights

440-312-5181

Mariel Manlapaz CC

216-445-4940

Megan Rodgers McCormick CC

216-444-5437

Pilar Castro CC

216-445-7282

Shelly-Anne Rodriguez CC

216-444-6331

Ursula Galway CC 216-444-6326

Wai Sung CC

216-444-4208

John F. Bologna Jr.SG

440-816-8990

David Glasser UH

3999 Richmond Road, Beachwood 216-541-1122

Daniel Asher UH

216-541-1053

Daniel Wyler UH

440-870-9799

David Dininny UH

216-541-1074

Heather McFarland UH

216-220-9106

Soozan Abouhassan UH

440-703-6226

Cardiology

Michael F. Deucher Cardiovascular Medicine Associates, Inc.

7255 Old Oak Blvd., Middleburg Heights

440-816-2708

Matthew Kaminski CC

26900 Cedar Road, Beachwood

216-839-3000

Jonathan Scharfstein CC

6801 Mayfield Road, Mayfield Heights

440-449-8890

Chonyang Albert CC

216-444-6697

Christine Jellis CC

216-444-6697

Maria Mountis CC

216-636-6101

Mohamed Kanj CC

216-444-6697

Oussama Wazni CC

216-444-6697

Samir Kapadia CC

216-444-6697

Peter Aziz CCC 216-445-5015

Saima Karim MH 216-778-2328

William Wolf UH 3999 Richmond Road, Beachwood 216-844-3800

Barry Effron UH 216-844-3800

Chantal ElAmm UH 216-844-3800

Daniel I. Simon UH 216-844-3800

Eiran Gorodeski UH 216-844-3800

Ellen Sabik UH 216-844-3800

Heather Gornik UH 216-844-3800

Judith Mackall UH 216-844-3800

Mehdi Shishehbor UH 216-844-3800

Michael Zacharias UH 216-844-3800

Atul Hulyalkar UH 29101 Health Campus Dr., Westlake 440-899-2423

John Coletta UH 29101 Health Campus Dr., Westlake 440-899-2423

Chad Raymond UH 1611 S. Green Road, South Euclid 216-844-3800

Joseph Restivo Western Reserve Physicians, Inc. 1900 23rd St., Cuyahoga Falls 330-971-7989

Joseph Rinaldi Western Reserve Physicians, Inc. 1900 23rd St., Cuyahoga Falls 330-971-7989

Michael Bage Western Reserve Physicians, Inc. 1900 23rd St., Cuyahoga Falls 330-971-7989

Cardiothoracic Surgery

Robert D. Stewart ACH 215 W. Bowery St., Akron 330-543-8030

A. Marc Gillinov CC 216-445-8841