Video: Changes in Radiology

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Dr. Benjamin W. Strong

Dr. Benjamin Strong predicts radiology will see the biggest changes of all of the medical specialties in the upcoming years. Because radiology is based on a static image that persists over time and is always a reference point that can be looked at later, it plays a unique role in patient care. Dr. Strong thinks the quality of interpretations will be emphasized, codified, and documented in ways other fields cannot be. While he expects big changes in reimbursement models, he also expects radiology to play a different role in terms of clinical medicine.

How do you think radiology’s role in clinical medicine will change?

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Why Siri is Good for Radiology

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Dr. Samir Shah

I don’t own an iPhone 4S. However, I certainly don’t feel impoverished with my iPhone 4. Yet, I certainly can feel excitement for what the possibilities hold for the future now that Apple has seized upon voice recognition (VR) technology as a potential means to increase our efficiency in these hectic times. Their embrace of this technology solution is a very good thing for the future of radiologists, as they have shown the Midas touch with whatever area of technology they get their hands on.

Voice Recognition


Voice recognition came about while I was still a resident in the late 90s. I remember one of my colleague’s shock when he realized that voice recognition decreased his productivity by 20 percent and added two hours to his average workday. These were the early days, however, and voice recognition has continued to make strides and improve.

New VR Technology


With the advent of Siri, I wonder if there will be a new renaissance in the technology which may take it to the next level. The sheer popularity of the iPhone and any technology it encompasses are often game changers in the technology world and really change life as we know it. Apple has demonstrated this with iPad tablet, the invention of apps, FaceTime, and their superb retina display.

Pushing Technology Limits


The real potential for Siri and voice recognition technology is when the bleeding edge hackers and programmers begin to modify the technology and push it to its limits. An Australian was able to use it to program his home automation, while another genius uses it as a remote car starter, and yet another uses Siri as a method to control his television viewing. Now we are beginning to see a new level of creativity and genius with broad exposure to VR technology.

VR as a Radiologist Assistant


Since this technology has now been introduced to a much wider audience with Siri, I have huge hopes that someone is going to advance voice recognition to the next level. Already about 80 percent of radiologists use some sort of speech recognition in their work, according to a recent poll by Diagnostic Imaging magazine. The largest way radiologists have not been optimally using voice recognition is what Siri’s main raison d’etre is — and that is as a digital assistant. Imagine not only dictating, but controlling the entire RIS/PACS workflow through voice command. It would give mouse clicks a break, at the very least. I can certainly envision myself one day making critical result calls, requesting prior studies, and getting consults merely through the power of my voice!

 

What other technology advances do you think Siri will prompt?

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Pick Your Path

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Dr. Samir Shah

Recently, teleradiology has come under some unfair criticism in the radiology literature and in meetings, with inaccurate assumptions about our field. This prompted me to write an article for this month’s issue of Imaging Economics on what life is like for those considering a career with vRad.   The article starts on page 28!

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ACR Guidelines: Findings

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Dr. Steve Brick

In an earlier post, I started to discuss the American College of Radiology guidelines for the format and content of radiology reports, and covered the patient identification, history, and technique. The remaining components are the Findings and the Impression.

ACR Findings

The Findings section consists of a review of the organ systems included within the study being performed. Normal structures, significant developmental variants, and any significant pathology should be documented. As stated in the ACR guidelines, the report should use appropriate anatomic, pathologic, and radiologic terminology to describe the findings. Any limitations in the study (absent or less than optimal contrast enhancement, artifacts from motion or surgical hardware, patient size, etc.) should be characterized.

Balanced Radiology Reports

It is important to remember that a balance must be obtained between a limited report that does not provide sufficient information to the referring physician and one that is so filled with insignificant details that it becomes unreadable. Striking the proper balance requires extensive clinical experience by the radiologist, who needs to understand what the referring physician needs to know in order to provide the appropriate care to the patient. The differentiation between significant and insignificant variants and abnormalities must be clear. And, all pertinent normal structures must be documented as well, so that the referring physician is confident that these organs were appropriately evaluated.

The final component of the report, the Impression, will be covered in my next entry.

How do you strike the right balance of information when writing your reports?

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