Guide · checked October 2026
What to check in a radiology report audit
A radiology report audit checks that each report is internally consistent (the impression matches the findings and the side is right), that critical or urgent findings were communicated and recorded, that findings needing follow-up carry a recommendation, and that no template text was left behind.
The standards behind it
The RCR's Standards for interpretation and reporting of imaging investigations (third edition, October 2025) replaced the 2018 edition and requires standard operating procedures for turnaround, communication of unexpected or time-critical findings, addenda and report acknowledgement. The 2022 Academy of Medical Royal Colleges recommendations set out which findings need alerts. Together they give you a basis for each audit criterion.
A practical checklist
- Laterality: the side in the findings, impression and request agree.
- Consistency: the impression does not contradict or omit significant findings.
- Communication: any critical or alert-category finding has a documented communication.
- Follow-up: findings that usually warrant follow-up carry a recommendation.
- Template leftovers: no unfilled placeholders or default normal text that conflicts with the findings.
- Addenda: significant addenda are flagged and communicated.
- Turnaround: the report was verified within the target for its urgency.
Running it
Write each check as a criterion with a clear rule and an exception list, sample or review all reports in the period, and record the sentence that triggered each finding so a reviewer can confirm it quickly. Report patterns by modality and template rather than by individual.
What report QA is not
- Not a second read of the images: it checks the report and its handling.
- Not a diagnosis: a flag is a prompt for a person to look, not a finding about the patient.
- Not a replacement for peer review, which asks whether the interpretation was right.
Where RadQA fits
RadQA's report QA runs these checks on every report as it arrives or on demand: laterality, impression against findings, critical-result communication, follow-up recommendations and template leftovers. Each finding quotes the sentence it came from and lands in a worklist. The assistant can help investigate, and any addendum or write-back needs explicit approval.
RadQA connects to DICOMweb PACS, HL7 v2 RIS feeds, FHIR R4 servers or a local folder, or runs on built-in demo data. RadQA is a pilot. It is a quality-assurance assistant, not a diagnostic device, and it does not replace radiologist reporting or clinical judgement.
Questions
Which RCR document covers radiology reporting?
Standards for interpretation and reporting of imaging investigations, third edition, October 2025, which replaced the 2018 edition.
Does report QA look at the images?
Report QA checks the text and its handling. Image QA is a separate set of checks on positioning, exposure and labelling.
Sources
Official pages, checked October 2026. Guidance changes, so check the current version before you rely on it.
General information for healthcare managers and clinical teams, checked October 2026. It is not legal, regulatory or clinical advice; follow the current official guidance and your organisation's own policies. No patient data is used in these examples. RadQA is a quality-assurance assistant for imaging departments. It is not a diagnostic device and does not replace radiologist reporting or clinical judgement. Validate against your own systems and local governance before production use.