The Role of Art in Radiology: A Visual Perspective

Hassan Ahad, second-year medical student at University of Minnesota Medical School and Hreedi Dev, second-year medical student at The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, contributed this article.

Radiologists are often thought to be the “doctor’s doctor,” a specialty defined by extensive physician-to-physician interaction and extraordinary technical precision. For many radiologists in early training, the learning curve may seem bottomless: Never-ending flashcards, non-stop textbook marathons and constant exercises in distinguishing tiny variations through pixels on a screen. As such, a radiologist must cultivate a truly keen eye for the normal and the abnormal. What if we could find unique and engaging ways for radiologists to learn and build upon these skills?

Increasingly, visual arts have emerged as a powerful parallel avenue for improving upon observational skills while simultaneously supporting the goal of improving patient care. A striking example comes from a recent program where radiology trainees visit local art galleries and learn how to properly interpret art under the guidance of professional art experts. These residents show dramatic improvements in their abilities to identify areas of abnormality on medical scans.

Radiology is fundamentally a visual discipline. It stands to reason, then, that promoting a radiologist’s visual interpretation and perception can meaningfully enhance their clinical readiness and awareness. One of the most meaningful components of a visual arts experience is the use of visual thinking strategies (VTS), an inquiry-based approach of teaching individuals how to observe, thoroughly dissect and interpret visual information.

Originally developed for aspiring artists, VTS is slowly becoming a mainstay of visual analysis. A typical VTS session involves a trained facilitator guiding trainees through careful visual analyses, encouraging them to justify their observations with evidence and inviting others to offer alternative interpretations that center on subjectivity and individual interpretation.

This collaborative and reflective approach mirrors radiology itself, where the heart of the specialty lies not only in detecting abnormalities but in clearly giving voice to what the eye perceives. Through VTS, trainees can strengthen their visuospatial awareness and ability to communicate what they see, skills that translate directly to interpreting and reporting medical images.

Yet beyond technicality lies the personal dimension of radiology. While radiologists need to be comfortable reading scans, they should also be skilled communicators who can discuss findings with cultural sensitivity and clarity. This is so integral to the field that the American College of Graduate Medical Education designates communication as a core competency for every radiology resident in an accredited program.

In a specialty where patient interaction is often limited, moments when radiologists share face-to-face connections with patients are especially meaningful. Such experiences can transform an otherwise invisible role into a visible and trusted presence, and this is where lessons from the visual arts become particularly powerful.

For example, ACR^® member Margaret Oechsli, PhD, is an immunologist with a specialization in immunochemistry who uses photomicrography to inspire and educate. During one inspiring moment, Oechsli’s close-up photo of a chemo drug hanging in a facility waiting room brought comfort and perspective to a cancer patient. Her photo of phenyl-threonine was selected in the top 20 of the Nikon Small World 2005 Photomicrography Competition.

Just as interpreting artwork requires careful observation, evidence-based explanation and openness to another’s perspective, effective patient communication can flourish when we make ourselves seen and understood. Many patients don’t realize we are even physicians. Instead, patients may believe that the technologist evaluates the scans or otherwise see the radiologist as a distant figure behind a screen, even though direct interactions (i.e., consultations, pre- and post-procedure discussions or even brief follow ups) often shift that perspective.

According to Mina S. Makary, MD, in this ACR Bulletin article, when meaningful interactions are incorporated, patients begin to view radiologists as “one of their primary providers rather than ancillary team members.” This shift can lead to higher overall patient satisfaction, clearer communication and greater trust in the diagnostic process. Similarly, art-based practices not only sharpen diagnostic ability, they also train us to engage, articulate and connect.

In this regard, and perhaps unexpectedly, one of the most creative routes of improving radiologist-patient communications is graphic art. Graphic stories, such as illustrated narratives and visual essays, can engender empathy in complicated clinical situations. Visual graphics, like comic strips, sometimes show parallels between what patients feel and what physicians experience during moments of uncertainty, fear or hope.

Through the deliberate use of imagery, text, framing and pacing, graphic storytelling can illuminate complex emotions that are often difficult to articulate. In juxtaposing visuals and words into a single interwoven narrative, graphic art invites patients and radiologists to meet at the emotional vantage point by illuminating both the illness and the humanness behind it. Comics offer a surprisingly meaningful and engaging way to foster understanding and empathy when traditional communication sometimes falls short.

Radiology may be grounded in science, but it thrives on the profound human abilities of seeing, interpreting and connecting. Whether encountered in the quiet focus of a gallery, through the reflective dialogue of VTS or by using the intimate storytelling of comics, visual arts become a companion discipline that teaches us to look with both precision and presence. Through these artistic pathways, trainees learn to read images with sharper eyes and open hearts to become clinicians who can translate shadows on a scan into stories patients can understand and trust.

Ultimately, integrating the arts into radiology enriches the field in ways no textbook ever could by reminding us that medicine is not simply a study of pixels and patterns, but the study of people’s fears and hopes, along with the luminous humanity woven in between.