Page 33 - Diagnostic Radiology - Interpreting the Risks Part One

SVMIC Diagnostic Radiology: Interpreting the Risks

Use care when including negatives such as “cannot rule out

cancer”. While this is common language in a radiology report,
it can be misinterpreted by a hurried referring physician who

might only read “rule out cancer”.

Accurate Terminology

Choose words and phrases that have clear meaning. Physicians,
especially radiologists, have a tendency to use “hedge” words

and non-specific terminology when they are communicating
in writing. The rationale for using these is the belief that hedge

words and non-specific terms give the radiologist wiggle
room so that he or she is not locked into a definite position

in the event that his or her findings and conclusions are later
determined to be wrong. Unfortunately, these hedge words

can be equally used against the radiologist in a court of law on
the basis that they do not convey clear meaning, especially if

there is finger-pointing among the radiologist and the referring
physician.
15

Similarly, for this reason, certain types of over-used words
and phrases should be avoided whenever possible. Examples

include:

• Ambiguous hedge words — words and phrases that are
either superfluous to the overall message in the report or

open to interpretation by the reader. Examples of this type
of terminology include overt, obvious, apparent, possible,

borderline, doubtful, suspected, indeterminate, no definite,
no gross, evidence of, no significant, probable, vague,

nonspecific, and equivocal.

• Modifiers without pre-definition — these words are

15 https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/rg.352140046

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