A health topic deserves a clear account of how pages are made. This page sets out the rules the editors follow, so that you can judge how far to rely on any page here. It describes a process, not an endorsement: the pages report what published sources say, and they are not a substitute for advice from your own doctor or imaging team.
Sources
Facts, figures, dates and names are taken only from pages the editors opened and read. The preferred sources are patient information from radiology organisations, such as the RadiologyInfo.org site run by the Radiological Society of North America and the American College of Radiology, national health services such as the NHS, government agencies such as the US Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, and peer-reviewed reviews. Where a source cannot be opened or does not support a claim, the claim is dropped. Each page lists its sources at the bottom with a note on what each was used for.
Figures and safety statements
Radiation doses, risk estimates, percentages and time frames are reported as the source gives them, with the same units and the same cautions, and are attributed in the text. If a source says a figure is approximate, varies with the size of the patient or is not proven, the page says so. The guide does not add reassurance a source does not give, and does not add alarm a source does not give. It does not tell readers whether to have, delay or refuse a scan.
When sources differ
Guidance varies between countries and bodies, for example on screening ages and on cautions in early pregnancy. Where sources differ, the pages say so and attribute each statement to its source instead of choosing one. Pages try not to lean on a single country's health service, but many of the best public patient pages come from the United States and the United Kingdom, and it is stated when a description applies to one of them.
What the site does not do
- It does not invent statistics, studies, quotes, testimonials or credentials.
- It does not recommend products, brands, scanners, providers, firms or named practitioners.
- It does not diagnose, interpret anyone's results or advise on treatment.
- It does not sell anything, take bookings or provide any service.
Writing and dates
Pages are written in plain language. Technical terms are defined the first time they appear. Each page shows the date it was last updated and ends with a short summary and a list of questions people commonly ask. The aim is to help you prepare for a conversation with a professional.
Updates and corrections
If a source changes or a mistake is found, the page is corrected and its date is changed. To report an error or suggest a better source, use the contact page. Corrections are checked against the public source before a page is changed, and the editors do not change what a page says in return for payment or other consideration.
Independence
Medical Imaging Explained is an independent educational publication. It is not affiliated with any practice, company, agency or professional body. To see these rules applied, begin with types of medical imaging, read how radiology reports are laid out, or look at the page on radiation and contrast safety, where the figures are most carefully attributed.