title: Chiropractic radiologists: a survey of chiropractors' attitudes and patterns of use.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the chiropractic use of radiography, referral patterns to both medical and chiropractic radiologists and attitudes toward radiologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Random sample mail survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Practicing U.S. chiropractors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 46% (197 of 425). Seventy-four percent of the respondents have radiographic facilities in their offices. Contraindication screen (71%), pathological diagnosis (63%), biomechanics and posture (51%) and medicolegal protection (27%) were considered important reasons for taking radiographs. When chiropractors refer for radiographic services, 67% refer to medical radiologists and 17% to chiropractic radiologists. Eighty-five percent agreed that chiropractic radiologists are as well qualified as medical radiologists, but 36% thought that medical interpretation carried more legal authority than chiropractic interpretation. Seventy-six percent of respondents thought that the chiropractic radiologist should be consulted only for second opinions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most chiropractors obtain radiographs for clinical reasons, such as confirming a diagnosis of pathology, but many continue to use radiography as a screening tool and for medicolegal protection. Prevailing attitudes seem to indicate a need for this specialty in chiropractic, but the chiropractic radiological consultant is not widely used. The disparity between the perceived need for chiropractic radiologists and the current utilization patterns requires further research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Western States Chiropractic College, Portland, Oregon 97230, USA.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Harger
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nyiendo
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002684:Chiropractic; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011871:Radiology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires