Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Radiology Practices
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated profound changes in radiology services worldwide, characterised by abrupt declines in imaging activity, rapid reconfiguration of departmental workflows and the widespread adoption of remote and hybrid working models. In the early phases, many centres experienced reductions of up to 40 % in elective and outpatient examinations, driven by lockdown mandates, patient apprehension and reallocation of resources to acute care. Emergency and inpatient imaging proved more resilient, although even these sectors saw variable contractions during peak waves. Radiology departments implemented strict infection-control pathways, segregating COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients, deploying personal protective equipment and rearranging physical spaces to limit cross-contamination. Simultaneously, teaching and training shifted online; remote readouts became commonplace, raising concerns about educational impact for junior trainees. Interventional radiology services demonstrated adaptability by maintaining urgent procedures at the bedside and leveraging virtual multidisciplinary meetings. Over successive waves, many practices achieved partial recovery of volumes through streamlined triage protocols and expanded tele-reporting, underscoring radiology’s capacity for resilience. These transformations carry lasting implications for service delivery, workforce training and preparedness for future health emergencies.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Radiology Practices publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in impact of the covid-19 pandemic on radiology practices across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Remote readout: A reporting model in which trainees and supervising radiologists review cases and discuss findings entirely via digital platforms without physical co-location.
Hybrid division: A service model combining on-site supervision with remote reporting, allowing flexible allocation of faculty between hospital and home.
Case volume: The number of imaging studies interpreted by a radiologist or trainee over a specified period, used as a proxy for workload and educational exposure.
Imaging modality: A specific technique or technology used to acquire medical images, such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) or nuclear medicine.
References
- Evidence for an adverse impact of remote readouts on radiology resident productivity: Implications for training and clinical practice. PLOS Digital Health (2023).
- Prevention and control measures in radiology department for COVID-19. European Radiology (2020).
- How to Reorganize the Radiology Departments to Face the 2019 Coronavirus Disease Outbreak. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness (2020).
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Interventional Radiology Services in the UK. CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology (2020).
- Changes of radiological examination volumes over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive analysis of the different waves of infection. Insights into Imaging (2022).
- The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Medical Imaging Case Volumes in Aseer Region: A Retrospective Study. Medicines (2021).
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.