Table 1.

Elements of a typical Radiology report for Orthopaedic Surgeons.

	Attribute	Characteristic with examples
1	Date of Exam	Date, time of the imaging (e.g. MRI spine for suspected Cauda Equina signifies an urgent imaging)
2	Name or Type of Exam Type of radiographic view	•Plain radiographs/CT/MRI/Nuclear medicine imaging •With or without contrast •Dynamic or Static? •Position: standing or sitting ((e.g.) Standing radiographs in knee osteoarthritis) •Mobile radiographs: Flexion and extension view in spondylolisthesis
		•Serendipity view (sternoclavicular joint) •Judet views (acetabular fracture) •Mortice view (ankle injuries) •Sunset/skyline view patello femoral dysplasia •Von Rosen view (Developmental Dysplasia Hip)
3	Interpreting Radiologist	The name of the reporting Radiologist who read the diagnostic imaging exam and available for further clarification of the report if required
4	Clinical Query	Background interpretation of clinical history provided by the requesting surgeon and surgeon's query.
5	Type of report	•A structured report would allow clear understanding of the flow of the report
5	Technique	Technical details of the exam (such as “2-view x-ray” or “2 mm axial images for CT” or FS-STIR for MRI), and if contrast was used.
6	Comparison	Describe the present study and use past tense to describe comparison with previous studies/images.
7	Contents/Findings /Impression	•Clinically relevant findings •Radiologist impression of the imaging study. Was it abnormal or a normal finding?
8	Follow-up Suggestions	Radiologist recommendation on follow up testing/imaging studies (e.g. a biopsy or additional diagnostic imaging)
9	Subspeciality reporting	•Oncology reporting for staging of disease and MDT discussion •Post-operative implant surgery e.g. Fracture healing/infection clarification
10	Conclusion	An effective conclusion to summarise key findings

Abbreviations: CT= Computerised Tomography; MRI = Magnetic Resonance Imaging; FS-STIR= Fat Suppressed - Short-TI Inversion Recovery; MDT = Multidisciplinary Team meeting.