Eric Postal, MD

Did you resolve to lose weight? Be more charitable? Let’s be realistic. Here’s how some outside influences are telling radiologists to change in 2013.

There are quite a few lame excuses for not giving enteric or intravenous contrast. Here are some clinicians’ rationales for unenhanced scanning.

A radiologist tries to deliver critical CT findings. Does this series of exchanges sound familiar?

Many radiologists can bring their non-interpretative skills to bear in the workplace, in ways both intellectually satisfying and financially rewarding.

Why would radiologists, who appear to have been a fairly intelligent, industrious lot, elaborate such a roster of gods to hold dominion over them?

What would a future civilization think if they were to come across our radiological gear?

Radiologists in many ways are like the lab rats facing electric shocks in the cage. Except that when there’s more pain than gain, we can escape.

Being compensated for your work is seen as acceptable, even honorable. But sometimes, one is expected to work for less or for nothing.

In the presidential debates, being reasonable isn’t rewarded. The same is true in medicine, where our reasonableness is met with more cuts and regulations.

Defensive or vague wording in radiology reports may protect me by making it harder to pin me down - but it’s less helpful to the ordering clinician.

My copilot has no medical experience or credentialing. I suppose her looking at studies could be a HIPPA violation, but I think we’re OK. She’s a cat.

A proposed consumer reporting system for patient safety is the latest anti-physician stick. Where’s the reporting hotline for the besieged health care workers?

None of us radiologists have legitimate dissatisfaction with our careers. Let’s look at all of the wonderful things we encounter each and every day.

Medical games and TV shows are at their best when they are least relevant to the actual health care. And they let me imagine a more glamorous professional reality.

The common medical encounter with SOS - Some Other Sonographer, as opposed to your known and trusted technologist - can bring a harsh reality.

Several states require reports include breast density information. What’s next? Why rely on physician judgment when you can have a one-size-fits-all policy?

GIGO refers to getting less-than-useful results after supplying less-than-helpful input. Radiologists are exchange in similar mechanics with colleagues.

How do you end a conversation with the referring physician after calling in abnormal radiological results?

There’s another kind of hay to be made while the sun is shining, however-the sort that doesn’t show on a balance sheet. Simply put, live a little.

It’s just about time to sit down to your daily stack of cases. How primed are you for the work?

At times, image ordering by clinicians seems downright random. Courtesy of roulette and certain game shows, I propose the Wheel of Protocols.

The Supreme Court has now given us the means to strong-arm the citizenry into having better, cheaper care - whether they want it or not.

Radiology visits me in my sleep. My radiology dreams are bare-bones, no-frills affairs. There are no characters or situations in them - just imaging studies.

Clinical histories can help radiologists improve differential diagnoses. They also can help me avoid the misfortunes of those being imaged.

Batman works best in the dark and employs sonic gizmos; his alter ego Bruce Wayne could easily be rewritten as a radiologist. Here’s my reimagining of Batman as radiology’s hero.

Imagine taking radiology to the open seas in a medical cruise - escaping the day-to-day pressures in favor of a vacation atmosphere for doc and patient alike.

Radiologists are familiar with receiving lousy clinical histories for imaging studies, so when I get a case with a thorough history, I like to give kudos.

Serious bending of the cost curve could be accomplished by targeting the less mission-essential elements of our overburdened health care system.

Remember the cartoon Goofus and Gallant from Highlights? Introducing teleradiology’s version, Doofus and Valiant, with quite different approaches to their jobs.

From med-mal to reimbursement, radiologists have quite a few metaphorical guns to our collective heads.