Need Answers?

Imagine that you have a patient—let’s say it’s a dog—that has been experiencing persistent vomiting. You take some rads in-house and then send them out to a teleradiology company to get an idea of what’s going on. 

A few days later, you get the radiology report back and immediately start looking for the findings. Before you can get to anything that’s remotely relevant, you need to wade through unnecessary information. The stifles are normal. The hips too. Oh, and there is a microchip.

Yep, you already knew that—you just want to get straight to the pertinent information about why your patient is vomiting so you can identify the best treatment plan. But instead, you waste precious time combing through a radiology report that reads like a medical textbook. 

Sound familiar? It’s a common complaint among vets, and it’s exactly why we made sure our radiology reports here at Radimal are different.

## **Spend less time reading and more time treating**

We don’t believe that a longer report is a better report. A shorter, more concise, and more targeted report gets you the information you need right away so you can spend less time reading and more time treating your patients.

![](/images/Simple%20GIF.gif)

So, what can you expect to see in our radiology reports? Here’s a quick look at what each one has: 

*   **Case History:** This top section has the nuts and bolts about the patient and their symptoms.



*   **Patient Images:** This section includes the submitted X-ray images that were reviewed.



*   **Found:** These easy-to-read bars quickly show what was found in the images, and what diseases or issues are likely.



*   **Checked:** While we think it’s important to be concise, we also need to be thorough. With Radimal, every single body system is checked and these bars show that—without a ton of unnecessary text for you to read.



*   **Clinical Notes:** Finally, this section explains how to interpret the bars and provides recommendations about what next steps should be. 

That’s the breakdown of what you’re looking at. A simplified, actionable report that lets you get right to the must-have and clinically-relevant details and diagnoses. 

![](/images/reportfeaturesnorainbow-07915706.png)

## **What else makes Radimal’s reports different?**

We think readability is one of the biggest things that separates our reports from the rest. But, there are a few other things we’re also proud of: 

*   **Waiting time:** Or, more accurately, the *lack* of waiting time. Most teleradiology companies take days (or even weeks) to get your reports back to you. Or worse, they promise you a quick turnaround but then you wait for 72 hours for the report. Not with Radimal. Your report will be in your inbox within 48 hours or it’s free.



*   **Accessibility:** Have questions about something in your report? Just reply to the email that contains your report. Seriously, that’s it. A boarded radiologist will review your message and get right back to you. You don’t have to wait for your report *or* for answers.

## **Get the answers you need when you need them**

A value-packed radiology report isn’t one that’s pages long. Instead, it’s one that gives you the answers you need as quickly as possible. 

That’s what we kept in mind when creating Radimal and our reports. You deserve accuracy, clarity, and peace of mind—and it doesn’t take walls of text to make that happen. 

Ready to see for yourself why Radimal is different? [**Schedule a demo with us to learn more**](https://www.radimal.ai/signup?utm_source=blog).

What Makes Our Radiology Reports Different

Receive your first report in minutes with our easy setup


First 3 reports FREE

Uncertainty at work isn’t a novel emotion. Plenty of people deal with challenging projects, unclear decisions, and even a little bit of [imposter syndrome](https://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2018/09/imposter-syndrome).

![](/images/giphy-2-08f6b208.gif)

But, when you work in veterinary medicine, apprehension and ambiguity do more than keep you up at night. They can quite literally mean the difference between life and death for your patients.

When you head home at night, you aren’t obsessing over how you worded an email—you’re second-guessing whether you diagnosed heart failure correctly or if you should’ve performed a different test.

The mental burden and strain for people who work in veterinary medicine are real. Combine that skyrocketing stress with a high degree of empathy and huge student debt load, and it’s no wonder that the suicide rate among veterinary professionals is so high.

In fact, [data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)](https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p1220-veterinarians-suicide.html) found that male veterinarians were 2.1 times as likely to die from suicide when compared with the general population. Female veterinarians were 3.5 times as likely.

Those statistics are alarming, and they bring us right to the heart of why we started Radimal: to offer support, boost confidence, reduce doubt, and provide peace of mind to today’s veterinarians.

## **So...what is Radimal?**

Radimal provides solutions for the numerous radiology problems that veterinarians encounter. We’re sure at least one of these scenarios sounds familiar:

*   You’re a general practitioner who takes X-rays in-house and needs to review them yourself, even though you may have limited radiology training

*   You send X-rays to a teleradiology company, but they’re backlogged and you can’t get the reports you need until days (or even weeks) later

*   You feel like you’re shooting in the dark with X-rays, and it’s having an impact not only on your patient care but also your mental health and stress levels

Radimal builds software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze X-rays and provide radiology reports within minutes (not days).

We’ve shown our machine learning system a huge number of X-rays in order to teach it what a normal X-ray looks like—whether it’s of the thorax, abdomen, pelvis, or something else. When you submit your X-ray to Radimal AI, it automatically compares it to all of the X-rays it has already seen and provides you with a detailed radiology report directly to your email in minutes.

Rest assured that Radimal AI doesn’t exist to replace radiologists. There will always be complex cases that require a human eye and Radimal also offers a full consult service.

Rather, Radimal AI provides added peace of mind for veterinarians. When they do their own interpretation, they can quickly see if Radimal’s analysis backs up their diagnosis and instincts. Or, perhaps it will flag something that they didn’t notice on their own.

Think of Radimal AI as another tool in your toolkit—an extra gut check to confirm your own findings so that you can go home at night feeling confident in your decisions.

![](/images/giphy-1-96d8a773.gif)

## **Who’s behind Radimal?**

Radimal was created by three co-founders: Alan Weissman, Andrew Weissman, and Ben Porter.

Alan comes from the world of startups and technology where he has designed artificial intelligence for everything from automated chatbots for consumer brands to physical tagging security for government and industry.

Ben brings extensive experience in strategy and business development to the table from a career at several of the world’s largest software companies.

Andrew is a board-certified veterinary radiologist (DACVR) with 10 years of experience in radiology. Like many veterinarians, he was carrying a heavy caseload and frequently ended the workday feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and burned out.

At one point, Alan (who is Andrew’s brother) suggested that they do something about it. Veterinary medicine—especially when it comes to technology—is often well behind other industries, and Alan knew there had to be a better, more streamlined way to address these common issues.

**So, Radimal was born.**

While our algorithms are smart (and getting smarter every single day), we’re passionate about doing everything we can to help veterinarians feel more confident and less stressed. That’s why Radimal is 100% human supported. If you want to ask a DACVR a question, it’s easy to click “reply” on your report. You’ll get a fast response from a real, human DACVR right away.

## **What’s next for Radimal?**

Radimal recently launched in 2020, and we’re looking forward to making a real difference in the lives, workload, and mental health of veterinary professionals.

While these problems don’t have quick or easy solutions, we’re thrilled to be a part of taking a step in the right direction toward happier vets and healthier pets.

**Curious about Radimal?** [Schedule a demo](https://vet.radimal.ai/?screen_hint=signup) with us to learn more**.**


Why We Started Radimal (and Why It’s About So Much More Than Radiology Reports)

No radiologist on staff? Teleradiology report taking too long to get back? Fluffy’s owner wants to know NOW if he needs emergency surgery? Here are a few tips to help ensure you are set up for success when interpreting your practice’s radiographs:

![](/images/2yo-nm-dsh0001.jpg)

## **1. Turn down the lights**

Are you trying to interpret an x-ray in the middle of the treatment area? Try and find a place where you can briefly dim or turn off the lights. The room doesn't need to be (and ideally shouldn’t be) completely dark. A small amount of ambient or indirect lighting works best. Sit at a chair that puts the screens at eye-level. If necessary, rotate the images so that they’re facing the correct way. Set up your software so that you can see at least 2 images at once so that you can compare the lateral to the VD. Do your best to not get distracted and take 2-3 uninterrupted minutes to interpret the radiographs.

## **2. Take that additional view**

All studies should be at least two views, ideally three. We have all seen an example of a non-displaced spinal fracture that you could only see on one view, or a foreign body that was only visible on the left lateral projection, etc. Orthogonal views are a valuable part of your diagnostic toolkit. Each projection is an opportunity to gain more information to help you guide next steps and make the best treatment plans. Remember, if Lucky is trying to murder your staff for that V/D, remember sedation is your friend!

## **3. Use appropriate positioning**

Do your techs have training in appropriate positioning? Having straight, collimated radiographs makes a huge difference when it comes time for interpretation. Taking good quality radiographs takes time and experience. Get a poster or textbook that shows your staff how to position patients and can serve as a reference while performing studies. Spend time reviewing the studies with your staff and provide feedback (e.g., pull the legs forward) to help them get the studies that you want and need. Training and learning together with your techs will lead to better quality radiographs and improve patient outcomes.

## **4. Read the entire image**

So, you found the fracture you were expecting based on your PE but missed the nodule on the edge of the image? This error is often explained by “**satisfaction of search**”, an all-too-common phenomenon in radiology, whereby the reader prematurely ends their radiographic interpretation after finding the lesion that they expect to be the primary problem. This can result in missing important information in your radiographs and can lead to some embarrassing moments. One way to avoid this is to develop a routine when you read cases, and do not deviate from it. For example, a thorax checklist could be, “heart, lungs, mediastinum, pleural space, musculoskeletal”. Write a list and put it up on the wall where you review x-rays. This will help remind you to evaluate each organ as you interpret the images.

## **5. Catalog that weird case**

Take some time to make a log of cases to refer back to. Writing down cases that have clear diagnoses or ones that initially stumped you so that you can compare them to radiographs from a different patient in the future can save you time and help you feel more confident in your assessment. Young dogs with open physes are always good ones to save for comparison at a later date.

## **6. Practice, practice, practice!**

Nothing can take the place of experience. Invest in a good atlas (see above) and look through it. Learn from your colleagues' cases or attend a radiology CE. Even if you send your radiographs out to a teleradiologist, take the time to interpret them yourself before sending them, and then check to see if you were correct. Radiology is mostly about pattern recognition. The more you see, the more you know!

Here are two great textbooks to help your interpretations:

*   [Atlas of Normal Radiographic Anatomy & Anatomic Variants](https://www.amazon.com/Radiographic-Anatomic-Variants-Robertson-2010-12-21/dp/B01JNZZWF0/ref=sr\_1\_2?dchild=1\&keywords=thrall+normal+radiographic+anatomy\&qid=1613996919\&sr=8-2)



*   [Atlas of Interpretive Radiographic Anatomy](https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Interpretative-Radiographic-Anatomy-Dog/dp/1405138998/ref=sr\_1\_1?dchild=1\&keywords=thrall+radiograph\&qid=1613996619\&sr=8-1)

> This book is particularly helpful in showing normal anatomy in juvenile patients at various ages. For example, have a limping 16-week-old puppy and you’re not sure what the elbow should look like? Could that opacity be a normal thymus? This is your text!

## **7.** **Have Radimal read your radiographs for you**

Whether it's Radimal teleradiology or the Radimal AI reporting, your job is to work with a radiographic interpretation to diagnose and treat your patient. Save yourself the interpretation time and let us help you get your patient the treatment they need.

Need Answers?

What is Radimal?

How does Radimal work?

How do I start using Radimal?

How will I get my patient's report?

How do I submit my radiographs to Radimal?

What if I have questions about my patient's report?

What if I want a full radiology report by a board-certified radiologist?

How can I try Radimal?

Recent posts

What Makes Our Radiology Reports Different

Why We Started Radimal (and Why It’s About So Much More Than Radiology Reports)

7 Easy Tips to Improve Your Radiographic Interpretations

First 3 reports FREE

FAQ

Need Answers?

What is Radimal?

How does Radimal work?

How do I start using Radimal?

How will I get my patient's report?

How do I submit my radiographs to Radimal?

What if I have questions about my patient's report?

What if I want a full radiology report by a board-certified radiologist?

How can I try Radimal?

Recent posts

What Makes Our Radiology Reports Different

Why We Started Radimal (and Why It’s About So Much More Than Radiology Reports)

7 Easy Tips to Improve Your Radiographic Interpretations

First 3 reports FREE