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. 2020 Feb 4;11(1):10.
doi: 10.1186/s13244-019-0831-6.

Redefining the structure of structured reporting in radiology

Affiliations

Redefining the structure of structured reporting in radiology

J Martijn Nobel et al. Insights Imaging. .

Abstract

Structured reporting is advocated as a means of improving reporting in radiology to the ultimate benefit of both radiological and clinical practice. Several large initiatives are currently evaluating its potential. However, with numerous characterizations of the term in circulation, "structured reporting" has become ambiguous and is often confused with "standardization," which may hamper proper evaluation and implementation in clinical practice. This paper provides an overview of interpretations of structured reporting and proposes a clear definition that differentiates structured reporting from standardization. Only a clear uniform definition facilitates evidence-based implementation, enables evaluation of its separate components, and supports (meta-)analyses of literature reports.

Keywords: Radiology report; Standardized reporting; Structured reporting.

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Conflict of interest statement

MN and SR report receiving funding from Agfa Healthcare during the conduct of the study. EK has nothing to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Structured reporting level 1: Structured layout. Examples of structured layout. Standardized reports use a standardized order (free text); in hierarchical reports, the most important items are mentioned first. The itemized report uses fixed headings
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Structured reporting level 2: Structured content. Examples of structured content. In a dropdown menu, the reporter chooses from several options in a different fashion than in a pick list or point-and-click system. Gap filling allows the reporter to fill in the blanks, whereas in a flowchart-guided report options are followed by a certain input made earlier in the reporting process

References

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