Informed consent--the controversy in radiology

Informed consent is more than a sheet of paper with indications, contraindications, possible side effects, and the physician's and patient's signature. It is a moral and legal Pandora's box. How much information does the patient really need to know? What information is the physician responsible for? What legal implications come into play during an emergency? Is informed consent necessary for IVPs? These topics and a brief history of the doctrine of informed consent should give the radiology administrator some insight into the medico-legal implications of informed consent.