Incidental findings and the need for a revised informed consent process

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Ethics
• Patient Education

Background:

• Current clinical practices for incidental findings (IFs) in medical imaging are inadequate regarding informed consent and patient education.
• A more robust informed consent process is necessary for patients to understand incidentalomas and their associated risks.

Observation:

• Incidental findings (IFs) are common in high-resolution imaging.
• Incidentalomas have high false-positive rates and low malignancy rates.
• Monitoring IFs incurs significant financial and emotional costs for patients and healthcare systems.

Findings:

• Patients should be informed about the possibility of incidental findings during radiologic informed consent.
• The frequency and characteristics of IFs necessitate a thorough informed consent process.

Implications:

• Radiologists, as experts on IFs, should lead informed consent discussions.
• Improved informed consent can enhance patient anticipation of incidentalomas and risk perception.
• Optimizing informed consent for IFs can mitigate unnecessary patient anxiety and healthcare costs.