ESOR Special Focus Series - Patient Communication in Radiology
The demand for more flexible healthcare roles is growing, and workforce shortages across multidisciplinary teams are driving a shift in responsibilities. As a result, radiologists' roles must evolve from a volume-based approach to one that is centered around value-based radiology, becoming an integral part of the patient journey. This transformation is already evident in the essential role radiologists play in multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings and clinical boards and will continue to expand with more direct patient interaction and communication.
To accommodate this shift, changes in training, education, and clinical organization are required. Additionally, tools and AI solutions offer an opportunity to streamline routine processes in performing and reporting examinations, allowing radiologists to focus on the most impactful aspects of care. While social media enables direct communication and interaction, it must be approached thoughtfully and ethically.
This course will explore these evolving dynamics, placing patients at the center, and will examine the opportunities and challenges in the radiologist-patient interaction from various perspectives.
This course has been developed in collaboration with the ESR Patient Advisory Group.
After watching the webinar, participants will be able to:
Recognize the importance of humanizing radiology for patients, families, and healthcare professionals, and apply principles of empathy, communication, and emotional awareness in radiological practice.
Understand best practices and sustainable approaches for improving access to and delivery of information, ensuring patients and multidisciplinary teams are well-informed throughout the imaging journey.
Evaluate the ethical and professional challenges in modern radiology — including social media use, self-promotion, AI integration, and resource limitations — and promote responsible, evidence-based communication.
Appreciate the value of soft skills and lifelong learning in radiology, and commit to being part of a cultural change that fosters compassionate, patient-centered, and collaborative imaging services.
Thursday, December 11, 2025
| 13:30 – 13:42 | Presentation of a manual: how to humanize radiology Pilar Manchon, Barcelona/Spain |
| 13:42 – 13:54 | Patients experience in the health care paradigm change Erik Briers, Limburg/Belgium |
| 13:54 – 14:06 | Opportunities and challenges of social media communication in radiology: gain or pain Mathias Dietzel, Erlangen/DE |
| 14:06 – 14:18 | The increasing need to educate the profession in soft skills Christian Loewe, Vienna/Austria Caroline Justich, Vienna/Austria |
| 14:18 – 14:30 | Panel discussion |
- You have to complete the electronic evaluation questionnaire. To do so, please click the “Course Evaluation” button displayed on the right column of the course page or go to the section “My Evaluation” of your ESR Connect account.
Evaluation is open from December 11, 14:30 CET until December 18, 23:59 CET and CME certificates can be downloaded in your ESR Connect user area under 'My Certificates'.