Typically, in a classroom setting, there will be a radiology rounds course which invariably includes learning how to take a case. During such situations, students are taught how to discuss cases as concisely as possible usually not exceeding five minutes.

Taking a case in radiology rounds involves six steps—identification, presentation, description, summary, conclusion or differential diagnosis, and management.

Identification involves taking a look at the images and then organizing one’s thoughts to be able to come up with the best description of the case at hand.

Presentation of the images consists of identifying and telling the panel where the images are from. This shall be followed by the description which includes stating the most important findings about the image first, giving the pertinent positives and negatives, and the other findings that are of less importance. A tip from professionals is to constantly look at the images as one talks, so that he would be able to see some findings that he did not see before.

This shall be followed by the summary of the case involving a concise restating of the findings followed by a brief introduction of what will be discussed in the differential diagnosis.

The differential diagnosis, in turn involves a concise presentation of the possible analyses of the case with the most likely ones being said first.

Finally, this is followed by presenting management options which might include a clinical presentation, further imaging, a biopsy, treatment and/or surgery.