CT 3D Recon Technology and the Future of Rads

[Plinko]

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As an intern I have had minimal exposure to the new technology on the horizon in the Radiology field. However, one thing I have been seeing more and more of is 3D CT reconstructions of bone and vascular systems--mostly facial reconstructions by ENT and Facial Surgeons on trauma cases and CT Angio by vascular surgeons. I am curiouis as to how the Radiology residents out there feel this technology is going to affect the need for Radiologists' readings in the future. If in ten or fifteen years the number of slices in a CT is advanced to such a high number and computer technology allows for easy quick 3D recon of most body systems, then what would stop a given specialist in GI, Urology, etc. from simply using the computer to visualize for himself/herself computer 3D image as if they were looking at a gross specimen? If seems to me that that would obsolve the need for the skill involved in reading radiology exams as they are now.

My apologies if this topic has been discussed elsewhere in this forum. My search produced no results.

 

[hans19]

In a CTA includes not just the vessels but all the soft tissues around the vessels. In Virtual colonoscopy, its not just the bowel you see but the kidneys spleen and adrenal glands retroperitoneum. We are radiologists and we are responsible for everything on the film. What does a vascular surgeon or GI doc do with the adrenal mass or kidney cyst or liver mass?

The 3d reconstruction is for the clinician, any responsible radiologist will review the source images for artifacts that can effect the interpretation of the 3d reconstruction.

Sure a clinician can read parts of the 3d reconstructed image, but how do you arrive at the 3d reconstruction to begin with? Will you know the technique, protocol, timing of the bolus, slice intervals, reconstruction kernels, before you even get to the 3d reconstruction software?