Pre-submission checklist
Work down this list before you upload a study.
Images
- Original DICOM files, not exported images or photographs of a monitor.
- At least two orthogonal views of the region of interest.
- A third view for thorax and abdomen where the patient tolerates it.
- Left and right markers visible and correct.
- Collimated to the region of interest, with the full region included.
- No motion blur; repeat rather than submit a blurred study.
- Exposure checked, especially on small patients where detail is lost quickly.
- For CT, the full series, pre- and post-contrast where contrast was given.
- For Ultrasound, cine loops as well as static images.
Context
- Signalment and weight.
- Presenting complaint and duration of signs.
- Relevant bloodwork and prior imaging dates.
- The specific question you want answered.
- Anything that limited the study: instability, pain, sedation, positioning.
Submission
- Priority selected deliberately: Standard, STAT or Wet Read.
- For a Wet Read, the targeted questions written out explicitly.
- Correct patient and correct radiology order selected.
Clinical history template
Ten fields. It takes under a minute to complete and it is the difference between a description and a ranked answer.
- Species, breed, age, sex and weight.
- Presenting complaint, in one sentence.
- Duration and progression of signs.
- Relevant physical examination findings.
- Relevant bloodwork and diagnostics already run.
- Current medications and recent treatment.
- Prior imaging, with dates, and whether it is available for comparison.
- Your working differential list.
- The question you want answered, stated as a question.
- What decision hangs on the answer, and by when.
Priority decision aid
There are three submission priorities. The right one is decided by when the answer changes what you do, not by how worried the case makes you feel.
- Standard. The answer shapes the plan at the next appointment or the next stage of care. Standard studies are returned within 24 hours.
- STAT. The answer changes what happens in the next hour. STAT x-ray and fluoroscopy studies are returned in 1 hour; STAT CT, Ultrasound and MR studies are returned within 4 hours.
- Wet Read. The team cannot move until the answer arrives. It is the fastest option, read while you wait, with the radiologist addressing the targeted questions you submit. The comprehensive final report follows from the same radiologist before the end of the shift.
For exotic patients, STAT and Wet Read turnaround is not guaranteed; a 24-hour best-effort read applies instead. Full detail on the three priorities is in the guide to choosing a priority.
Report handover checklist
What to do once the report lands, so the read reaches the client and the record.
- Read the impression at the top first; it carries the prioritized diagnoses and recommendations.
- Check whether the report includes a video segment from the radiologist.
- Confirm the report has injected into the matching radiology order.
- Raise any follow-up question through Real-Time Chat on the case rather than starting an email thread.
- Note the recommended next step in the record before the client conversation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single most common reason a report has to be hedged?
Missing clinical context. A study submitted with signalment alone forces the radiologist to describe rather than rank. A two-line history with the specific question you want answered usually changes the report from a description into a decision.
How do I decide between Standard, STAT and Wet Read?
Ask when the answer changes what you do. If it changes the plan at the next appointment, choose Standard. If it changes the plan within the hour, choose STAT. If the team cannot move at all until the answer arrives, choose Wet Read, which is the fastest option and read while you wait.
Should I submit a study I already interpreted myself?
Yes, when the clinical picture and your read do not line up, when staging needs consistent reporting over time, or when a client conversation will rest on the finding. Say what you already suspect in the history; it sharpens the read rather than biasing it.
What file format should studies be sent in?
Original DICOM files. Exported JPEG images, screenshots and photographs of a monitor discard the grayscale range the radiologist needs and permanently limit what can be stated.
Can these templates be added to our practice information management system?
Yes. Many practices paste the history template into their imaging order form so the same fields are captured every time. Reports inject back into the matching radiology order in ezyVet and Instinct, and that list of systems is growing.
Who should own the checklist in a practice?
Usually the technician team, with a veterinarian signing off on the clinical question field. The checklist works best when it lives next to the imaging workstation rather than in a shared drive.