Why radiologists should make their practice more personal

When it comes to visibility, radiologists, in many cases, are out of sight. They often receive and interpret images from afar, leaving a patient's referring physician or specialist to disclose the findings - and, using the information supplied, answer questions about the diagnosis.

Such distance, bolstered by the ease and ability of technology, can have consequences, according to a team of University of Michigan Medical School researchers.

Whether one's scan results come secondhand or through an online portal, patients "have very little opportunity to actually meet a radiologist," says IHPI member Ella Kazerooni, a professor of radiology at U-M. "We're in the background... sometimes right next door when they have their test or get their results, and sometimes in a building miles away."