Added Value of Selected Images Embedded Into Radiology Reports to Referring Clinicians

Abstract

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the added utility of embedding images for findings described in radiology text reports to referring clinicians. Methods Thirty-five cases referred for abdominal CT scans in 2007 and 2008 were included. Referring physicians were asked to view text-only reports, followed by the same reports with pertinent images embedded. For each pair of reports, a questionnaire was administered. A 5-point, Likert-type scale was used to assess if the clinical query was satisfactorily answered by the text-only report. A “yes-or-no” question was used to assess whether the report with images answered the clinical query better; a positive answer to this question generated “yes-or-no” queries to examine whether the report with images helped in making a more confident decision on management, whether it reduced time spent in forming the plan, and whether it altered management. The questionnaire asked whether a radiologist would be contacted with queries on reading the text-only report and the report with images. Results In 32 of 35 cases, the text-only reports satisfactorily answered the clinical queries. In these 32 cases, the reports with attached images helped in making more confident management decisions and reduced time in planning management. Attached images altered management in 2 cases. Radiologists would have been consulted for clarifications in 21 and 10 cases on reading the text-only reports and the reports with embedded images, respectively. Conclusions Providing relevant images with reports saves time, increases physicians' confidence in deciding treatment plans, and can alter management.

Evidence‐based guideline for the written radiology report: Methods, recommendations and implementation challenges

“…14 The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) has pioneered the development of a standardised terminology for medical imaging, RadLex (http://www.rsna.org/ RadLex.aspx). These changes are already under way.…”

“…This will have four main implications for the form and content of imaging reports: development of standardised terminology, definition of minimum data sets for particular examinations, use of a common digital format for report transmission and inclusion of representative or key images with the report. 14 The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) has pioneered the development of a standardised terminology for medical imaging, RadLex (http://www.rsna.org/ RadLex.aspx). RadLex has incorporated the best-known radiological terminology, the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) classification of breast imaging findings.…”

Good practice for radiological reporting. Guidelines from the European Society of Radiology (ESR)

“…There is also the potential to integrate additional information, such as clinical data, technical parameters, measurements, annotations, and key (relevant) images and multimedia data [10], giving the potential to reduce ambiguity and increase confidence in the findings [12, 13]. There is also the future potential for multilingual translation.…”

Approaches of dentomaxillofacial and medical radiologists about reporting

“…1,7 Structured radiology reports include several advantages such as clarity, time-efficiency, automated billing and order entry, presence of technical parameters, measurements, annotations, reduction of ambiguity. 4,8,9 Hence, recently, structured radiology reports are preferred by many radiologists and clinicians. Various authors agree regarding many benefits of structured reporting.…”