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Radiology Report Wording Matters
(DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING) -- Potato, Potahto — Wording Matters in Radiology Reports
By Arun Krishnaraj, MD, MPH
Many of you may be familiar with this song and its memorable line, “Potato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto, Let's call the whole thing off.” I’ve heard it a few times but my favorite rendition is by Christoper Walken on Saturday Night Live. While the subtle differences in these words are trivial, the words we choose to use in our radiology reports impact the actions taken by our referring providers, and ultimately, the care delivered to our patients.
Mr. Peterson, a 61-year-old man, finally gave in to his wife’s repeated requests to visit his physician after two weeks of complaining of severe left hip pain. After a battery of tests, Mr. Peterson’s doctor ordered an X-ray of the hips that demonstrated lucency in the left acetabulum. The impression of the radiology report included both infection and metastatic deposit in the differential and recommended a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis for further evaluation.
This article was republished with permission from CMPMedica, LLC
By Arun Krishnaraj, MD, MPH
Many of you may be familiar with this song and its memorable line, “Potato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto, Let's call the whole thing off.” I’ve heard it a few times but my favorite rendition is by Christoper Walken on Saturday Night Live. While the subtle differences in these words are trivial, the words we choose to use in our radiology reports impact the actions taken by our referring providers, and ultimately, the care delivered to our patients.
Mr. Peterson, a 61-year-old man, finally gave in to his wife’s repeated requests to visit his physician after two weeks of complaining of severe left hip pain. After a battery of tests, Mr. Peterson’s doctor ordered an X-ray of the hips that demonstrated lucency in the left acetabulum. The impression of the radiology report included both infection and metastatic deposit in the differential and recommended a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis for further evaluation.
This article was republished with permission from CMPMedica, LLC
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