- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- Climate Change Could Sting Allergy, Asthma Sufferers
- Keep Asthma, Allergies at Bay for the Holidays
- Combating Myths About Seasonal Allergies
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- Quit Smoking the Holistic Way
- Wristbands May Lessen Nausea After Radiation
- Placebo Acupuncture Tied to Higher IVF Pregnancies
- ANIMAL CARE
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- Rest Easy. When It Comes to Swine Flu, Your Pet Is Safe
- Separation Anxiety, Canine-Style
- BONES & JOINTS
- Low Vitamin D Raises Women's Hip Fracture Risk
- Bone Loss Stable on Restricted Calorie Diet
- Pain More a Cause of Arthritis Than a Symptom
- CANCER
- Gene Screen May Predict Colon Cancer's Return
- Gene Studies Reveal Cancer's Secrets
- HPV Vaccine Has Higher Allergic Reaction Rate
- CAREGIVING
- Falls Are Top Cause of Injury, Death Among Elderly
- Hospital Practices Influence Which Moms Will Breast-Feed
- MRSA Infections Spreading to Kids in Community
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- Night Shift Work Hard on the Heart
- Exercise May Blunt Salt's Effect on Hypertension
- Varicose Veins May Mask Larger Problem
- COSMETIC
- Mouse Study Finds Molecule That Tells Hair to Grow
- Study Evaluates Laser Therapies for Hair Removal
- Health Tip: After Liposuction
- DENTAL, ORAL
- Most Insured Adults Worry About Health Care Costs: Poll
- Acupuncture May Ease Anxiety Over Dental Work
- Gummy Bears Join Cavity Fight
- DIABETES
- 'Standard' Glucose Test May Be Wrong One for Obese Children
- 24 Million Americans Had Diabetes in 2007
- Laughter May Lower Heart Attack Risk in Diabetics
- DIET, NUTRITION
- Meat Additives May Be Dangerous for Kidney Patients
- Want to Stop Cancer? You Can, Experts Say
- Low Vitamin D Levels May Initiate Cancer Development
- DISABILITIES
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Golf Course Insecticides Pose Little Danger to Players
- Pollution Particles Impair Blood Vessel Function
- Sunken, Unexploded Bombs Pose Cancer Risk
- EYE CARE, VISION
- Just Like Skin, Eyes Can 'Burn' in Strong Sun
- Kids Who Spend More Time Outdoors Have Better Vision
- 'Blind' Man Navigates Obstacle Course Without Error
- FITNESS
- FDA Mandates New Warnings for Botox
- Meditation May Help Put Primary Insomnia to Bed
- After a Stroke, Light Exercise Gets Hands, Arms Working Again
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- Bowel Prep Harder on Women Than Men
- Olive Oil May Protect Against Bowel Disease
- Traditional Nonsurgical GERD Treatments Not Impressive
- GENERAL HEALTH
- What you need to know about swine flu.
- Dr Churchill & Ashley Pelton Interview 1 of 4
- Simple Exercise Precautions To Help Keep Baby Boomers Fit
- HEAD & NECK
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- Combating Myths About Seasonal Allergies
- Magnet Therapy May Ease Hard-to-Treat Depression
- The Internet Is Becoming One-Stop Shopping for Health Help
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- Vigorous Exercise Cuts Stroke Risk for Men, Not Women
- Soy Protein Doesn't Lower Cholesterol
- An Apple a Day May Help Keep Heart Disease Away
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- Swine Flu Now Reported in All 50 States
- Grapefruit Compound Inhibits Hepatitis C Virus
- Viral Infection Might Trigger High Blood Pressure
- KID'S HEALTH
- More Calcium And Dairy Products in Childhood Could Mean Longer Life
- Music May Temper Pain in Preemies
- Pool Chemicals Raise Kids Allergy, Asthma Risk
- MEN'S HEALTH
- Drinking Green Tea May Slow Prostate Cancer
- More Vitamin C May Mean Less Chance of Gout
- The Dark Side of Vegetarianism
- MENTAL HEALTH
- Heal Your Life® Tips for Living Well
- Fear Response May Stem From Protein in Brain
- Optimism May Boost Immune System
- PAIN
- 'Cell Phone Elbow' -- A New Ill for the Wired Age
- Alleviating Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Acupuncture, Real or Fake, Eases Back Pain
- PREGNANCY
- Acupuncture May Ease Depression During Pregnancy
- Yoga's Benefits Outweigh Risks for Pregnant Women
- Mom's Extra Pregnancy Pounds May Raise Child's Heart Risks
- SENIORS
- The Healthy Habits of Centenarians
- Daily dose of beet juice promotes brain health in older adults
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
Patients' Photos Help Boost Radiologists' Accuracy
By eHolistic.com Published: 12/02/2008
TUESDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Clipping a photo of the patient next to their radiological scans helps humanize each case and boosts the accuracy with which scans are read by radiologists, a new study finds.
As technological advances have further distanced the radiologist from interaction with the patient, putting a patient's photo in his or her file may enable a more personal and empathetic approach, according to an Israeli study expected to be presented Tuesday at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, in Chicago.
"Our study emphasizes approaching the patient as a human being and not as an anonymous case study," lead author Dr. Yehonatan N. Turner, radiology resident at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, said in a news release issued by the conference's organizer. "We feel it is important to counteract the anonymity that is common in radiologic exams, especially with the growth of teleradiology."
For the study, radiologists reviewed patients' files electronically via their hospital's picture archiving and communication system (PACS), a network for the storage and retrieval of medical images. When the files were open, the patient's photograph appeared automatically.
The results showed that radiologists gave a more meticulous reading of the medical images when a patient photo accompanied the file. For example, about 80 percent of the radiologic incidental findings reported originally were not reported when the radiologist re-examined the files three months later with the patient's photograph omitted from the file.
After reviewing the files, the radiologists all said they felt more empathy toward the patients after viewing their photos. The photographs often revealed key medical information, such as suffering or physical signs of disease, the doctors said.
"The photos were very helpful both in terms of improving diagnosis and the physicians own feelings as caregivers," Turner said. "Down the road, we would like to see photos added to all radiology case files."
More information
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more about diagnostic imaging.
-- Kevin McKeever
SOURCE: Radiological Society of North America, news release, Dec. 2, 2008
Last Updated: Dec. 02, 2008
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