Radiology Reporting: Current Practices and an Introduction to Patient-Centered Opportunities for Improvement

As health care evolves, the radiology report must also change to satisfy referring physician and patient expectations. Knowledge of the issues and controversies regarding a patient-centered approach to reporting practices is important. This article will aid the radiologist in this endeavor by summarizing key facets of radiology reporting, including current reporting standards and emerging patient-centered concepts in report language, formatting, and delivery.

Future efforts to improve radiology reporting practices need to account for the needs of an increasingly heterogeneous audience that includes patients. Radiologists must exploit information technologies to craft and deliver meaningful patient-centered reports. A modern radiology report will be a powerful, flexible document that strengthens the connection between the radiologist and the patient.