Several workflow innovations are improving patient care and operational efficiency in radiology. These include telemedicine, digital radiography, advanced visualization techniques, web-based enterprise imaging systems, and AI-powered image data management tools.
Radiologists are often juggling many patient cases, and it’s challenging to prioritize the most urgent ones. Luckily, intelligent algorithms can help with this process by prioritizing images for the most qualified radiologist.
1. Telemedicine
Technology has transformed radiology from a passive player in healthcare to an integral part of multi-disciplinary decision-making and acting to streamlining operations. It has also improved the accessibility of high-quality radiological care for patients, regardless of their geographical location. This is made possible by the use of advanced imaging modalities and rapid digitisation, epitomised by picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) and electronic health records (EHR).
With telemedicine, doctors can connect with patients over long distances through networking devices to perform remote clinical examinations or consultations. It also allows doctors to monitor patients from a remote location, which reduces travel time and the risk of infection or disease transmission. Moreover, it helps doctors focus on their patients without the distraction of other duties or interruptions.
Using telemedicine, physicians can share images with colleagues and other healthcare professionals for joint diagnosis and review. This improves the quality of patient care and reduces medical errors. Furthermore, the telemedicine system provides a platform to track and store medical data, which improves overall hospital operational efficiency.
Radiologists can communicate with patients via telemedicine to explain complicated imaging results in plain language. This increases patients’ understanding of their medical condition and promotes engagement. Radiologists can also use this tool to follow-up on patients’ progress and monitor treatment plans, which enhances patient satisfaction.
Telemedicine can also help radiologists manage a growing workload. This is due to the exponential rise in imaging studies combined with the shortage of radiologists available to interpret them. Fortunately, telemedicine solutions, such as artificial intelligence, can improve workflow efficiency by streamlining worklists and prioritizing studies. Moreover, it can provide the radiology workforce with a rich data set to augment individual skill sets and enhance clinical decision-making.
2. Digital Radiography
Digital radiography (DR) replaces X-ray film with detector arrays or flat panel detectors that directly capture X-ray images, bypassing the need for scanning and chemical processing. This immediate image acquisition and transfer allows clinicians to view images on high-resolution monitors and make a diagnosis almost immediately. It also eliminates the possibility of image distortion from improper chemical processing, improves image clarity, and reduces exposure to radiation for patients.
Digital innovations have facilitated other advancements in radiology, including computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These techniques have enhanced diagnostic capabilities by providing detailed 3D views of anatomical structures for improved visualization, surgical planning, and targeted interventions. They have also facilitated image-guided interventions, such as ultrasound-guided biopsies and radiofrequency ablation, reducing the need for open surgeries.
Other advances include hybrid imaging, which combines multiple imaging modalities to provide comprehensive information in a single exam. Examples of hybrid imaging include PET-CT and SPECT-CT, which merge functional imaging with anatomical data to facilitate diagnosis and treatment planning.
Imaging technology is a critical part of healthcare, and advanced digital innovations are making it more accessible than ever before. These technologies are enabling remote consultation and collaboration with colleagues, improving patient care and safety, and reducing costs through workflow efficiencies. The intersection of these advances, along with other important factors like musculoskeletal ultrasound education and mobile imaging in low-resource settings, has the potential to transform domiciliary radiology. The COVID-19 pandemic has further elevated this dynamic, as it underscores the need for robust and reliable mobile technology solutions that can be used in the most challenging situations. This will ultimately accelerate the delivery of quality healthcare, even in remote and resource-constrained environments.
3. Advanced Visualization
In addition to enabling radiologists to quickly and efficiently identify medical conditions, advanced visualization allows healthcare professionals to interact with images at different points of care, boosting efficiency and confidence. It also provides an alternative to relying on a series of traditional, slice-based representations of medical images by creating 3D reconstructions that are lifelike and can be manipulated for better understanding.
The advanced visualization market is bolstered by ongoing technological advancements in medical imaging, including 3D and 4D systems, that significantly enhance diagnostic capabilities across multiple medical specialties. Rising prevalence of chronic diseases and an aging population are other major factors driving the need for precise diagnostic tools. The burgeoning market is also driven by the integration of AI technologies, which automate image analysis and help reduce human error.
For example, the ability to quantify information within the context of an aortic model can provide more data for cardiologists and surgeons in endovascular treatment planning, helping them make more informed decisions. This can be a more effective way to communicate with specialists and enhance collaboration, which is especially important given the increasing demand for efficient diagnoses in the face of staff shortages, burnout, and information overload.
The technology can even help address the need for more effective communication with patients, which is important in reducing healthcare costs and improving patient outcomes. This could be achieved through a more intuitive, integrated tool that offers the same functionality as popular social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter but is designed specifically for healthcare, with the added benefits of real-time communication and the possibility of sharing models. Chang suggests that this could be modeled on the way children communicate through these applications, which are rich in features, collaborative and fun—qualities that would benefit the workplace and improve healthcare outcomes.
4. Web-Based Enterprise Imaging Systems
Until recently, most healthcare systems were using siloed picture archiving and communications systems (PACS), radiology information systems (RIS) and other imaging modalities with separate workstations and logins. An enterprise imaging system consolidates these disparate systems and allows clinicians to access all relevant images and reports with a single login.
The ability to access all of a patient’s relevant data with a single login significantly increases efficiency. This makes it easier to reduce duplicate exams, improve overall diagnostic accuracy and enable teleradiology workflows. It also helps the organization avoid paying for multiple systems, reducing maintenance costs.
Vendor-neutral image management is another benefit of an enterprise imaging solution. This makes it easy to integrate with other departments in a healthcare enterprise, including core pathology, breast health, endoscopy and more. It also provides a centralized, secure storage solution for all visible light clinical images.
As a cloud-based technology, enterprise imaging solutions receive frequent updates to maintain usability, security, interoperability and functionality. This eliminates the need for a department to own and maintain its own hardware infrastructure, freeing up resources that can be used to drive clinical innovation.
While radiology was the first medical department to lead the PACS revolution, it’s important that all departments, from cardiology to women’s health, embrace and utilize this type of integrated system that makes data accessible 24/7. A one-of-a-kind enterprise imaging platform creates a collaborative, unified community of care for all involved to assist in better patient outcomes. RSNA and HIMSS both featured booths that demonstrated how vendors can customize their enterprise imaging systems to fit a hospital or healthcare system’s needs. This includes changing work lists, image hanging protocols, how relevant priors are cued up and who has access to different tools and artificial intelligence software.
5. Artificial Intelligence
The use of self-learning AI tools enhances radiology diagnostics by enabling rapid and precise analysis of medical images. These tools identify patterns and abnormalities that could otherwise be missed by human eyes. As a result, they improve workflow efficiency, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and contribute to safer patient care.
Radiology is a highly visual and perceptual craft that depends on education and experience to detect, characterize, and monitor diseases. This practice imposes a high degree of subjectivity and is not without its risks. AI, when used with the right human expertise, can mitigate these risks by reducing inefficiencies and enhancing patient outcomes.
In addition to accelerating the pace of diagnostics, AI can also help address key radiology challenges such as physician burnout and capacity shortages. For example, AI can be used to automate routine tasks such as data entry and image scanning, allowing radiologists to focus on more pressing cases. AI can also flag critical conditions and prioritize cases based on their urgency, which can be life-saving in emergency situations.
Furthermore, AI can be used to track chronic conditions over time by analyzing imaging data and identifying changes in the progression of disease. This allows for the early detection of disease exacerbations and enables appropriate adjustments in treatment plans.
However, it is essential that healthcare professionals keep in mind that AI technology is not error-free and should be used as a complement to their expertise rather than a replacement. Human intuition, empathy, and the ability to consider a patient’s overall condition are elements that cannot yet be replicated by AI. Nevertheless, the fast and accurate processing capabilities of AI have proven to be invaluable in helping radiologists make informed decisions and deliver exceptional patient care.