Effective communication between radiologists and technologists in the MRI suite is essential to improving departmental workflow and patient throughput. With radiologists often working offsite and relying on technologists for patient positioning and image acquisition, clear and concise communication becomes critical to ensuring imaging quality and efficiency.
When communication breaks down, the consequences ripple through the entire department.
The cost of communication failures
Consider this scenario: A technologist receives a vague or incomplete image order and proceeds to scan the patient. After reviewing the images, the radiologist realized that the scan didn't meet the diagnostic needs. They call the technologist to clarify and, if necessary, schedule the patient for a repeat scan.
While MRI scans don’t involve ionizing radiation, this still represents wasted time for the department, delays for the patient, and potential loss of trust in the facility. In some cases, frustrated patients may not return, and referring physicians may seek alternative imaging providers.
Communication breakdowns are most common during critical stages, such as image ordering, patient scheduling, and scan performance. These missteps often result in callbacks, where patients must return for additional imaging, delaying diagnoses and increasing costs.
MRI callbacks a costly problem
Callbacks, where patients are asked to return for additional imaging, are a frequent issue in MRI departments. They can stem from protocol errors, incomplete scans, or inadequate coverage of the target area.
For instance, a University of Michigan study analyzing 147,000 MRI exams found that 21% of callbacks were due to insufficient anatomical coverage, while 13% occurred because of incorrect imaging planes or sequences.
Emir, a lead MRI technologist in Washington, highlights the challenges caused by vague orders. “Sometimes, I’ll get an order for a chest wall MRI, but the patient might actually have a lipoma on their back. I’m left trying to interpret what the physician wants and hope the radiologist can determine the region of interest.”
These scenarios result in inefficiencies, as technologists must juggle clarification calls, repeat scans, and patient frustrations. Additionally, callbacks strain MRI resources, increase patient wait times, and create financial burdens. Many insurers do not cover repeat scans caused by miscommunication, leaving facilities to absorb the cost.
Reducing callbacks and improving communication with skin markers
One simple yet highly effective solution to reduce callbacks is the use of skin markers, which enhance imaging accuracy by clearly identifying regions of interest. Skin markers streamline the imaging process, minimize repeat exams, and improve diagnostic accuracy by guiding technologists and radiologists to focus on specific areas and serving as a communication tool.
Diedra, an experienced MRI technologist, uses skin markers extensively in breast imaging to mark masses, scars, or areas of patient-reported pain. She emphasizes their time-saving benefits. “I don’t spend too much time on my localizer. I mark what the patient points to, and it lets me go straight to the scan and see the mass more easily if it’s there.”
Emir applies skin markers to soft tissue masses and surgical scars for orthopedic imaging. “The markers are particularly helpful when I’m trying to replicate a patient’s image from a previous exam. When I place the markers on the patient and position them, I can refer to the previous image and what I’m currently seeing in the localizer. This saves me time in positioning and helps avoid taking unnecessary extra slices.
"Recently, I had a really difficult time imaging a larger patient’s scar which ran from the pectoralis across the chest wall to their bicep. In order to recreate the previous image, the patient was lying prone as if I were scanning the AC joint. If I did not have the previous image with skin markers, I would have scanned more of the large body habitus, adding time to the scan and giving the radiologist more to read. Because I use skin markers regularly, I’m able to focus the scan/localizer for image acquisition, and the radiologist can read the area of interest with clear communication/guidance from the markers."
Not All Skin Markers Are Created Equal
While some imaging suites use improvised solutions like taping vitamins to patients, these makeshift markers often cause more problems than they solve.
Andy, another MRI technologist from Connecticut, recalls the frustrations of using vitamin capsules as markers. “Imaging a total spine can take up to two hours. Those capsules would dissolve, melt, and make a mess. I hated using fish oil and vitamin E capsules—they’d get all over the table and the patient. I knew there had to be a better solution.”
Designed specifically for use in MRI exams, the MR-SPOT® skin markers are "something better" for busy technologists.
These simple peel-and-stick markers are more convenient and appropriate to apply to the patient's body than a vitamin capsule or mustard pack. They save technologists time and eliminate worrying about capsules melting during the exam.
Available in two styles (tubes and packets) and a variety of sizes, the technologist can select the marker that best suits each patient's needs—from markers long enough to span the entire vertebral column for T-Spine studies to smaller markers for marking extremities and even smaller markers for pinpointing focal pain in the small field of view.
Clear communication and proper tools, like professional skin markers, play vital roles in improving MRI workflows and patient care. By prioritizing accuracy and efficiency, MRI departments can reduce costly callbacks, maintain patient trust, and deliver timely diagnoses. Investing in effective communication strategies and high-quality markers is a win-win for both patients and imaging professionals.
Jonathan McCullough
Product Manager
