Is advanced neuroimaging for neuroradiologists? A systematic review of the scientific literature of the last decade.
BACKGROUND
To evaluate if advanced neuroimaging research is mainly conducted by imaging specialists, we investigated the number of first authorships by radiologists and non-radiologist scientists in articles published in the field of advanced neuroimaging in the past 10 years.


METHODS
Articles in the field of advanced neuroimaging identified in this retrospective bibliometric analysis were divided in four groups, depending on the imaging technique used. For all included studies, educational background of the first authors was recorded (based on available online curriculum vitae) and classified in subgroups, depending on their specialty. Finally, journal impact factors were recorded and comparatively assessed among subgroups as a metric of research quality.


RESULTS
A total number of 3831 articles were included in the study. Radiologists accounted as first authors for only 12.8 % of these publications, while 56.9 % of first authors were researchers without a medical degree. Mean impact factor (IF) of journals with non-MD researchers as first authors was significantly higher than the MD subgroup (p < 10-20), while mean IF of journals with radiologists as first authors was significantly lower than articles authored by other MD specialists (p < 10-11).


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of the studies in the field of advanced neuroimaging in the last decade is conducted by professional figures other than radiologists, who account for less than the 13 % of the publications. Furthermore, the mean IF value of radiologists-authored articles was the lowest among all subgroups. These results, taken together, should question the radiology community about its future role in the development of advanced neuroimaging.
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy. siriococozza@hotmail.it.
Sirio
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0300-5160
S
Cocozza
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Camilla
C
Russo
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Pontillo
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Lorenzo
L
Ugga
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Antonio
A
Macera
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Amedeo
A
Cervo
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Maria
M
De Liso
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Nilde
N
Di Paolo
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Maria Isabella
MI
Ginocchio
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Flavio
F
Giordano
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Leone
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Giovanni
G
Rusconi
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Arnaldo
A
Stanzione
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Francesco
F
Briganti
Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Naples, Italy.
Mario
M
Quarantelli
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Ferdinando
F
Caranci
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Alessandra
A
D'Amico
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Andrea
A
Elefante
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Enrico
E
Tedeschi
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University "Federico II", Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
Arturo
A
Brunetti
D001319:Authorship; D015706:Bibliometrics; D006801:Humans; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009485:Neuroradiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000072177:Radiologists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014600:Utilization Review
Advanced neuroimaging; Authorship; MRI; Systematic review