Main Body

The text of Original Research and Technical Developments manuscripts should be arranged in sections under the following headings: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion. For Original Research reports, there is a 3000 total word limit for these sections of the text; for Technical Developments, this limit is 2000 words. Subheadings in the Materials and Methods and Results sections are encouraged. Avoid idiosyncratic word usage, nonstandard terms or abbreviations, and self-evaluation of your work (eg, “novel,” “unique,” “ground-breaking,”). Please spell out in full any acronym or abbreviation when first used, not only in the Abstract but also in the text. For studies dealing with diagnostic accuracy, please refer to the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) checklist in the January 2003 (p 26) issue of Radiology. For randomized controlled trials, please refer to the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement (Lancet 2001; 357:1191–1194[registration required]). For meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials, please refer to the QUOROM (Quality of Reporting of Meta-Analyses) statement (Lancet 1999; 354:1869–1900[registration required]).

Authors for whom English is not their native language should seek assistance from a colleague familiar with medical terminology to ensure that the words used convey the intended meaning both accurately and clearly. Failure to do so may delay the review of the manuscript.

Introduction:

Give only strictly pertinent background information and references that inform the reader as to why the study was performed. Do not review the literature extensively. The final paragraph should clearly state the hypothesis and purpose of the study, in a similar fashion as the Purpose statement in the abstract. Brevity and focus are important. Generally, the Introduction should not exceed 400 words

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Materials and Methods:

For studies using human subjects, the first paragraph should address institutional review board approval and patient informed consent, as well as HIPAA compliance (U.S. studies). This applies to both prospective and retrospective studies. For animal experiments, provide a statement of approval by the institutional animal care committee or appropriate substitute. If all or part of your patient population was previously reported, this should be mentioned, with citation of the appropriate reference(s) (blinded for initial review).

Describe clearly the number and selection of the subjects studied (patients or experimental animals, including controls). Any instruments or drugs (including contrast) utilized should be identified with trade names and manufacturer’s name and location in parentheses.  Procedures should be described in sufficient detail to allow others to reproduce the study. It is essential that the manner in which studies were evaluated is explained: independent readings, consensus readings, blinded or unblinded to other information, time sequencing between readings of several studies of the same subject to eliminate recall bias, random ordering of studies. State the number of years of experience of those who performed readings or evaluations. State clearly if this is a retrospective or prospective study.

Do not include the name of the institution where the work was performed or authors’ names or initials, either within the text or at the top of each manuscript page. Also, do not refer to prior published work from your group as your own; instead, cite only the reference. Give references to established methods, including statistical methods that have been published but are not well known; describe new or substantially modified methods and give reasons for using these techniques. The last paragraph of Materials and Methods should state the statistical methods used to analyze the data (see recently published articles in Radiology for guidance). It is recommended that authors seek statistical consultation before planning a study to ensure appropriate enrollment and collection of data and the use of statistical tools. Similarly, studies relating to cost analysis or cost-effectiveness should also be discussed with individuals knowledgeable in these techniques. Radiology reserves the right to have the raw data recalculated by our consultants, as needed. Click here for information that should be placed in an Appendix. Make sure that the Materials and Methods section includes all items presented in the Results section. Generally, Materials and Methods should not exceed 800 words.

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Results:

Present the results in logical sequence in the text, along with tables and illustrations. Do not repeat in the text data that is already covered in the tables and/or illustrations; summarize only important observations. Make sure to give results for all items evaluated as mentioned in Materials and Methods.

State the statistical significance of the findings. Numerators and denominators must be provided either in the text or the tables for all percentages given. The same applies to sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values. Subheadings in Materials and Methods should be used in the same sequence in the results, as appropriate. Generally, Results should not exceed 1000 words, especially if tables have been included.

Discussion:

Emphasize the advances in knowledge (see Abbreviated Title Page) provided by the study and the conclusions that follow from them. Do not repeat in detail the data given in the Results section. Include in the Discussion the implications of the findings and their limitations, in particular with reference to the use of modified methods, statistical or otherwise. Relate the observations to other relevant studies. Link the conclusions with the goals of the study, but avoid unqualified statements and conclusions not supported completely by the data. Avoid claiming priority and alluding to or giving the results of ongoing investigations that have not been completed or that are not part of the study. State new hypotheses when warranted, but clearly label them as such. The penultimate paragraph of this section should address study limitations. Recommendations, when appropriate, may be included. Generally, the Discussion should not exceed 800 words.

For Experimental Studies articles, please describe the importance of the conclusions as they relate to potential future practical applications. Identify this paragraph, which should be the last, with the title “Practical Application(s).”