Radiology reporting: returning to our image-centric roots.
OBJECTIVE
Despite extraordinary advances in imaging and information technologies, the form and content of radiology reporting has changed little in the discipline's more than 100-year history. In this commentary, we outline the challenges that have confronted innovations such as speech recognition and structured reporting and call for a radical rethinking of the reporting process. By combining new applications with the expanding power of radiology and hospital information systems, the attention of the radiologist--and his or her referring colleagues--could be more focused on the image and its meaning.


CONCLUSIONS
One promising result of such a change in focus could be improved and more reliable communication, already an area of heightened concern in the imaging community. Moreover, such a shift away from the printed word to image-centered content could lead to benefits in shared image viewing; more streamlined and timely reporting; data mining of aggregate results; and image archives, and, ultimately, enhancement of the consultative value of the radiologist's contribution to patient care and treatment.
Reiner
Bruce
B
Department of Radiology, Veterans Affairs Maryland Healthcare System, 10 N Greene St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
Siegel
Eliot
E
D003142:Communication; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D011873:Radiology Information Systems