Promoting Collaborations Between Radiologists and Scientists

Radiology as a discipline thrives on the dynamic interplay between technological and clinical advances. Progress in almost all facets of the imaging sciences is highly dependent on complex tools sourced from physics, engineering, biology, and the clinical sciences to obtain, process, and view imaging studies. The application of these tools, however, requires broad and deep medical knowledge about disease pathophysiology and its relationship with medical imaging. This relationship between clinical medicine and imaging technology, nurtured and fostered over the past 75 years, has cultivated extraordinarily rich collaborative opportunities between basic scientists, engineers, and physicians. In this review, we attempt to provide a framework to identify both currently successful collaborative ventures and future opportunities for scientific partnership. This invited review is a product of a special working group within the Association of University Radiologists-Radiology Research Alliance.