iRADiX

What is that Clinicians want or rather expect from radiology reports?

In good old days Radiology Practice means nothing but interpreting the x-rays ordered by the clinicians.

All that clinician wanted to know was whether there is TB in the x ray chest, whether any duodenal/gastric ulcer in the barium meal studies, or any fracture of bones etc.The life of the Radiologists was very simple and care free ( without much responsibility )  in those days and no surprise…. no takers for Radiology Postgraduate seats. Anybody, did radiology PG in those days is not out of Love of the specialty but due to helplessness, and I remember People with MD in radiology settled happily in General Practice, since they just wanted MD tag

From 70’s onwards,   things have changed and Radiology advanced rapidly and radiologist started playing a role along with the clinicians in patient management and even earned respect as “clinician’s clinician”

Definition of Bias

‘To lean towards something because you don’t like something else, or you like something more than something else, goes hand in hand with discrimination and prejudice’

‘Someone who already has their mind made up and preset towards a one sided view of a situation’

Scene 1

Patient having RT hypochondrial pain.

Two scan centers gave USG report as Multiple Gall stones with sludge and a third scan center gave the report as ‘echogenic mass lesion with acoustic shadow-to rule out growth’

(Nobody knows why the patient visits so many scan centers for the same problem.)

Time and again it was stressed about the importance of a proper language to be used whether in

Radiology practices (radiology report) or be  in Clinical practice (Clinical diagnosis as mentioned

In the requisition form by clinicians)

Ultimately the aim is to have a proper language communication so that patient is benefited and region of interest is thoroughly assessed.

Are Abbreviations and Acronyms a must?? I always wonder.

Does not it remind you of a quiz program?

It may be a time saving formula for one party …. However it is likely to be a time consuming for the other party concerned.

Incidence 1.

Mr. X went to a scan center and had MRI of Knee joint. The scan picked up no abnormality and pt was happy and went back home. Since the knee pain became worse in the same night he went to an institute to have advice. The orthopedician advised him to have another MRI in spite of pt showing him the MRI scan taken on the same day.

Pt became furious and started putting embarrassing questions to this orthopedician.

This orthopedician being a senior man got annoyed and told him to either get a fresh scan at so and so place or get lost.

Relatives convinced the patient to have another scan preferred by the Orthopedician and patient reluctantly agreed to have the scan

Now the report came as meniscus tear... Patient was operated and subsequently doing well.

I had finished my 43^rd ultrasound of the day and clock had struck 2:30 in the afternoon. I felt uncomfortable in my pelvis and wanted to attend to the nature’s call. As I got up to leave the ultrasound room, a patient at the door stopped me and said –

“Hey Doc! Where are you off to?”

Being very polite I replied unrevealingly - “I am just coming back. Please wait for me”.

“Ohhh! I have been waiting for over two hours for my turn just to get an ultrasound examination……..and now you tell me to wait a little longer?”

“I understand you very well and I have been trying to do as fast as I can. Don’t worry, I will see you first when I get back” I tried to bargain out of the situation.

“No doc. You cannot leave this room without doing my ultrasound. I am a patient and have already waited too long.”

Little they realise that a trainee paratrooper is often to be pushed from the air craft and rest of the journey to the ground is effortless. Perhaps in US if you dont write articles in medical journals you wont get promotions. We, here, have discovered lots of excuses. When we read some known person's good article we say oh! he is in a medical college with all facilities; there are residents to write for him etc. Yes ,the residents are those paratroopers who in some / most of the cases do most of the work of collecting, investigating the cases, and the literature search but they are all the time guided (pushed) by the boss, who often gives 'the first sentence'?

During the literature search you will come across many well written articles and you will be tempted to copy their sentences in your writings. Appreciating a good writing is a good beginning, collect those good sentences, good words in a diary read them ones in a while to inculcate the habit of good writing. But for God's sake do not use those sentences or paragraphs verbatim, in your article without quoting the original author other wise you may be held guilty of plagiarism.