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Review
. 2025 Aug;45(8):e240185.
doi: 10.1148/rg.240185.

The Role of Radiology in Community Engagement

Somiah E Almeky  1 , Franklin Iheanacho  1 , Priscilla J Slanetz  1 , Anand K Narayan  1 , Lucy B Spalluto  1 , Arun Krishnaraj  1 , Carla Brathwaite  1 , Farouk Dako  1 , Randy C Miles  1 , Daniel B Chonde  1 , Gwendolyn M Bryant-Smith  1 , Christina Alexandra LeBedis  1 , Efrén J Flores  1
Affiliations
Review

The Role of Radiology in Community Engagement

Somiah E Almeky et al. Radiographics. 2025 Aug.

Abstract

Health disparities represent a significant and growing concern in the United States, largely due to recent recognition of worse outcomes experienced by historically underserved groups. Radiologists have an opportunity to address these disparities by using community engagement (CE) to deepen their knowledge about patient and community-level barriers and inform the development of programs focused on improving patient access to timely radiology care. Various established frameworks, such as the socioecologic model and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities research framework, can be adapted and leveraged by radiology practices to promote CE and advance health equity. These models emphasize multilevel interactions among individual factors to broader societal influences, enabling tailored approaches to addressing disparities in access to radiologic services. Providing practical ways of applying these models will increase the presence and impact of radiology in the community. In this article, case-based practical examples of current CE efforts in radiology are presented, with the aim of empowering radiologists to engage in and lead community-focused initiatives. For each case study, specific disparities and access to radiologic services, as well as intervention strategies, are described. Finally, the authors present adaptations to existing models and frameworks to inform a radiology-centric CE model that can be used to sustainably address health disparities by enhancing educational efforts, building coalitions, and developing comprehensive outreach strategies. This proposed model is intended to not only alleviate disparities but also mitigate radiologist burnout, thereby enhancing both community health outcomes and radiologist well-being. ©RSNA, 2025 See the invited commentary by Hajjar and Brewington in this issue.

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Conflict of interest statement

P.J.S. Site principal investigator for the Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial; royalties from Wolters-Kluwer for three breast imaging topics on UpToDate; editorial board member of Radiology, American Journal of Roentgenology, and Academic Radiology; second past president of the Association of Academic Radiology (AAR); board member of AAR Research and Education Fund; chair of American College of Radiology (ACR) Commission on Publications and Lifelong Learning; member of ACR Board of Chancellors and ACR Practice Parameter Committee for Breast Imaging; board member of ACR Radiology Advocacy Network; medical advisory board member of densebreast-info.org. A.K.N. Grants from Susan G. Komen Foundation and National Academy of Medicine. L.B.S. Institutional grants from ACR; Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, Office of Rural Health; Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation; National Institutes of Health; and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; honoraria for grand rounds lectures at various academic institutions; payment for expert case review from Hare, Wynn, Newell and Newton; Co-chair of RSNA Health Equity Committee. A.K. Payment for expert testimony for various legal practices, member of the ACR Board of Chancellors. F.D. Grants from Radiological Society of North America, AAR, and National Cancer Institute; recipient of Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials award; payment or honoraria for grand rounds from Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh; support for attending meetings and/or travel from RSNA Health Equity Committee and the United Nations; member of RAD-AID International Board of Directors. R.C.M. Payment or honoraria for lectures from Hologic and GE HealthCare. D.C. Payment for lectures from Emory University; chair of the American Roentgen Ray Society Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Subcommittee; executive director of The Peoples’ heART. E.J.F. Recipient of MGH Physician Scientist Development award; co-chair of Radiological Society of North America Health Equity Committee; Journal of the American College of Radiology Associate Editor for Health Equity; member of National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) Committee on the Use of Race and Ethnicity in Biomedical Research; honoraria for grand rounds presentations at multiple academic medical centers; travel support as member of the American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable and NASEM Committee on the Use of Race and Ethnicity in Biomedical Research. All other authors, the editor, and the reviewers have disclosed no relevant relationships.

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