The Radiologist as Hunger Artist

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. Radiologists often think in terms of metaphors drawn from business, politics, and informatics, but literature can offer equally important insights. CONCLUSION. Kafka's short story "A Hunger Artist" is the tale of a man who does not care for the food he is given and so starves. The same can happen to radiologists: even in the midst of plenty, if key ingredients in the recipe for professional fulfillment are missing, radiologists may find themselves wasting away.