The views of the European Society of Radiology concerning what constitutes a good radiological report are outlined in this article. Some pertinent literature is reviewed.

Aim of the document
There is no universally agreed definition of a good radiological report, and both radiologists and those who receive reports may hold differing views on the optimal style and content. Nevertheless, all radiologists wish to produce reports which are accurate and also interpret the investigation for a particular patient in a way that assists with their further management.
Medicine is an international subject and, with the advent of picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), images may be transported throughout Europe and indeed the world. Considerable variation currently exists in the way imaging reports are constructed. It can be argued that there is benefit in reducing this variation for ease of comprehension on the part of referrers, and to aid audit, teaching and research.
This document suggests a framework, which it is hoped will be relevant to radiological practice throughout Europe.