Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 6, 2026
Measuring 3D In-vivo Shoulder Kinematics using Biplanar Videoradiography
Published on: March 12, 2021
Structured reporting of MRI of the shoulder - improvement of report quality?
Sebastian Gassenmaier1, Marco Armbruster2, Florian Haasters3,4
1Department of Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Campus Großhadern, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377, Munich, Germany. Sebastian.Gassenmaier@med.uni-muenchen.de.
Objectives:
To evaluate the effect of structured reports (SRs) in comparison to non-structured narrative free text (NRs) shoulder MRI reports and potential effects of both types of reporting on completeness, readability, linguistic quality and referring surgeons' satisfaction.
Methods:
Thirty patients after trauma or with suspected degenerative changes of the shoulder were included in this study (2012-2015). All patients underwent shoulder MRI for further assessment and possible surgical planning. NRs were generated during clinical routine. Corresponding SRs were created using a dedicated template. All 60 reports were evaluated by two experienced orthopaedic shoulder surgeons using a questionnaire that included eight questions.
Results:
Eighty per cent of the SRs were fully complete without any missing key features whereas only 45% of the NRs were fully complete (p < 0.001). The extraction of information was regarded to be easy in 92% of the SRs and 63% of the NRs. The overall quality of the SRs was rated better than that of the NRs (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
Structured reporting of shoulder MRI improves the readability as well as the linguistic quality of radiological reports, and potentially leads to a higher satisfaction of referring physicians.
Key Points:
• Structured MRI reports of the shoulder improve readability. • Structured reporting facilitates information extraction. • Referring physicians prefer structured reports to narrative free text reports. • Structured MRI reports of the shoulder can reduce radiologist re-consultations.
Insights
Structured reporting for shoulder MRI significantly enhances report completeness and readability compared to traditional narrative reports. This structured approach improves information extraction and surgeon satisfaction, leading to better patient care.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Medical Reporting
Background:
- Shoulder MRI interpretation relies heavily on accurate and comprehensive radiological reports.
- Traditional narrative free text reports may lack standardization, potentially affecting information clarity and completeness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of structured reports (SRs) versus non-structured narrative reports (NRs) for shoulder MRI.
- To assess the impact of SRs on report completeness, readability, linguistic quality, and referring surgeon satisfaction.
Main Methods:
- 30 patients undergoing shoulder MRI for trauma or degenerative changes were included.
- Both narrative free text (NR) and structured reports (SR) were generated for each MRI.
- Two orthopedic shoulder surgeons evaluated 60 reports using a standardized questionnaire.
Main Results:
- SRs demonstrated significantly higher completeness (80% vs. 45%) and easier information extraction (92% vs. 63%) compared to NRs.
- The overall quality of SRs was rated significantly higher than NRs by evaluating surgeons.
- SRs were associated with improved readability and linguistic quality.
Conclusions:
- Structured reporting significantly enhances the quality and utility of shoulder MRI reports.
- SRs lead to improved information extraction and higher satisfaction among referring physicians.
- Adoption of SRs in shoulder MRI reporting is recommended to improve communication and clinical decision-making.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Magnetic Resonance Imaging
01:25Types of Reports I: Hands-off Report
Following are the key components and categories of hand-off reports:
Purpose and Process:
01:21Types of Reports II: Incident or Occurrence Report
Purposes:
In the healthcare industry, reports play a crucial role in documenting incidents within an agency. The primary objective of these reports is to ensure patient safety, uphold the...