Laws That Have Shaped Radiology: Part II

Radiology began as a translation of quantum physics to clinical medicine. Advances in computing and engineering enabled the differentiation of the field into diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, and radiation oncology as practical responses to rapidly proliferating medical knowledge. Radiology has itself transformed modern medicine, helping clinicians identify, track, and intervene on multiple once deadly diseases. It is practiced in academic departments and hospital based, outpatient center based, or fully remote private groups of varying sizes, often with direct physicist support to optimize the use of complicated equipment. Importantly, radiology was guided to its current form not just by scientific advances, but by the interplay of cultural and governmental forces, as well as hard lessons, the results of constantly shifting balances of competing interests as follows: insurance, pharmaceutical, medical device, hospital, physician, physician extender, and patient. The purpose of this review is to describe the historical legal landscape of diagnostic radiology in the context of ethics, public health initiatives, and patient protections. For clarity, the review is divided into two parts.