How to Tell if You’re a Radiologist with a Sharp Eye

Don’t blink, you might miss important information. That’s especially true if you’re a radiologist. According to a meticulous report from Finnish researchers, a radiologist’s eye movements determines the quality of their CT interpretations.

Researchers evaluated 15 early residents with no more than a year and a half of experience in abdominal CT radiology, 14 advanced residents with between one and a half to three and a half years of experience, and 12 specialists with two to 22 years under their belts. Investigators recorded participants’ eye movements using a tracking device while they viewing 26 abdominal CT studies at either three or five frames-per-second.

The report found that early residents detected lesions at a lower rate the more they worked, and overall, they identified fewer low-visual contrast lesions than advanced residents and specialists. However, no matter the level of expertise, more lesions were detected when the physicians had shorter saccade length. Saccades are repetitive eye movements, and depending on the activity and behavior, a person might have faster or slower saccade. According to the study, a physician’s competency can be measured by the length of their saccades.

We absorb visual information with our eyes, that’s a basic fact. Yet, what the study is trying to prove is that having a “sharp eye” requires a steady gaze. Rapid saccadic eye movement can result in missed information. For radiologists examining CT scans, this means that deliberate, longer gazes are required in order to successfully detect lesions.