Structured radiology reporting on an institutional level-benefit or new administrative burden?

Abstract

Significant technical advances have been made in radiology since the first discovery of X-rays. Diagnostic techniques have become more and more complex, workflows have been digitized, and data production has increased exponentially. However, the radiology report as the main method for communicating examination results has largely remained unchanged. Growing evidence supports that more structured radiology reports offer various benefits over conventional narrative reports. Various efforts have been made to further develop and promote structured reporting. However, regardless of the potential benefits, structured reporting has still not seen widespread implementation into the clinical routine. With recent technical advances, especially new research topics such as big data and machine learning, structured reporting could prove essential for the future of radiology. New interoperable solutions are needed to facilitate the implementation of template-based structured reporting into the clinical routine.