Dear AuntMinnieEurope Member,
Using too many acronyms in imaging requests and reports not only causes frustration but also poses a risk to patient safety and can lead to unnecessary delays.
That's the important message from a Scottish audit of 766 chest x-rays that showed SOB (shortness of breath) was the most common acronym. The authors have called for the creation of an approved list of acronyms, and they think referring physicians need better guidance.
The controversy over radiology staff shortages in the U.K. has resurfaced, following the coroner's verdict on the causes of a patient's death in southwest England. Dr. Nicola Strickland, president of the Royal College of Radiologists, has spoken out on the topic. You can read our news report in the CT Community.
Since it was established in 2011, the European Diploma in Radiology has been a resounding success, according to Prof. Laura Oleaga Zufiría from Barcelona, Spain. In a guest column, she reflects on the past eight years and looks ahead to the remaining challenges, including the introduction of structured reports in Clinically Oriented Reasoning Evaluation (CORE) cases.
Also, you won't want to miss the latest offering from regular columnist Dr. Giles Maskell. He takes a light-hearted look at how a ratings site for radiology might work.
In breast imaging, artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to succeed where traditional computer-aided detection software did not, writes Prof. Michael Fuchsjäger from Graz, Austria. In an editorial published in European Radiology, he explained how AI will help radiologists add more value and improve their ability to provide the best possible care for patients. Head over to our Artificial Intelligence Community.
To round off a hectic news week, x-ray images from Australia have been making the headlines. We all know young people love their phones, but is the practice really causing the growth of horns on their skulls? Be sure to visit our sister site, AuntMinnie.com, for a follow-up story on this topic.
