Radiology

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Radiology Department, Medical Imaging, Imaging, Radiologist, X-Ray, X-Rays, X-Ray Department, Screening

Category

Public Services, Public Facilities, Health Care

Message / Function

To indicate the location of a clinical facility for radiology and medical imaging

	Source	Description
	Zurich Airport	Frontal view of upper part of human figure behind rectangle with lines indicating x-ray of lungs, cross in top left corner
	GTAAC	Frontal view of human figure behind rectangle with elements indicating x-ray of chest down to hip bones, several lines on the right
	Kapitzki	Stand made of vertical plus horizontal line connected to rectangle with several lines indicating x-ray, frontal view of human figure behind
90	Hablamos Juntos	Frontal view of human figure behind rectangle with elements indicating x-ray of chest down to hip bones, framed by two vertical lines
60	Hablamos Juntos	Side view of human figure in supine position, rectangular and vertical elements indicating x-ray
	Dreyfuss	Frontal view of human figure, partially behind square indicating x-ray showing parts of skeleton
	Aku-Johnson	Frontal view of upper part of human figure behind rectangle with elements indicating x-ray of chest down to hip bones
	CNIS	Frontal view of upper part of human figure behind rectangle with elements indicating x-ray of chest
A)	SEGD/HJ	Frontal view of upper part of human figure behind rectangle with elements indicating x-ray of chest down to hip bones
	D'source	Frontal view of upper part of human figure behind rectangle with several lines indicating ribs
	Lee	Frontal view of upper part of human figure with ribs, spine, and hip bones indicated
90	Hablamos Juntos	Hand holding x-ray of chest down to hip bones
B)	SEGD/HJ	Hand holding x-ray of chest down to hip bones
	Fox Design	Frontal view of monitor displaying chest x-ray and hips
	Smashing Stocks	Frontal view of chest x-ray
	Fox Design	Framed rectangle with X-ray of knee in outline with lines indicating text and focus on knee
50	Hablamos Juntos	Side view of upper part of human figure in supine position, horizontal line below, several arcs above
20	Hablamos Juntos	Circular fram with frontal view of upper part of human figure, one half negative plus pattern of horizontal lines

Discussion

The collection shown above gives a hint of the range of pictograms used all over the world to indicate the location of a clinical facility for radiology and medical imaging. There are several general concepts and a multitude of visualizations. These examples also indicate that there might be a visual stereotype: a frontal view of a human figure behind a rectangle with elements indicating x-ray of chest. Renderings vary based on the number of details shown, sometimes also including elements indicating the apparatus used. We did not include pictograms designed to signify specific types of medical imaging like CT, MRI, PET, or CAT.

Several studies present research covering some pictograms for this referent:

Hablamos Juntos in partnership with SEGD (the Society for Environmental Graphic Design) developed several test designs to signify Radiology and Medical Imaging, of which five pictograms were subjected to a test on basis of the Comprehensibility Estimation procedure (Fontaine et al., 2010). With median scores ranging from 90 down to 20 the variants were judged quite differently, but two of the pictograms examined were seen as excellently comprehensible. The numbers next to the pictograms in the table above are the median estimation scores reported for the corresponding pictograms in this study. Regarding these results two new variants showing less details were designed, which are labeled as SEGD/HJ and marked A) and B) above.

In a follow up project these pictograms were examined - among others - by Zender & Cassedy (2014) using the ISO/ANSI Open-ended Comprehension Test to find out if these variants are understood just as well in a different culture, and if not, why they failed. Test results from the United States and Tanzania reveal that both pictograms basically work well in the USA, as 100 % of the responses from the American sample could be classified as correct for pictogram A) for Radiology and 78 % for B) regarding Imaging: X-Ray among local patients resp. 94 % among respondents with advanced medical literacy. In the Tanzanian sample it became evident that these variants do not work everywhere: they were not understood among typical local patients with 0 % and 10 % correct, and only slightly better among respondents with advanced medical literacy with 25 % and 15 % correct. The failure was considered to be due to insufficient familiarity with these technologies.

A research project comparing comprehensibility of healthcare symbols between the United States, South Korea, and Turkey also included a variant very similar to the test design marked A) above (Lee et al., 2014). While 100 % of the answers of the U.S. American respondents could be classified as correct, this was the case for 95 % in Turkey and 92 % in South Korea, confirming the U.S. results of Zender & Cassedy (2014). In a further study of way-finding symbols for healthcare facilities conducted in the United Arab Emirates, 95 % of the responses for the pictogram marked A) were classified as correct in a Comprehension Test carried out with a sample consisting mostly of young and well educated respondents (Hashim et al., 2014).

Recommendations

Due to the fact that data from research is still insufficient, we recommend testing using the Comprehensibility Estimation procedure for eliminating poor variants and identifying the best of the set available, followed by a Comprehension Test. These studies should deliver useful data for recommending the best pictogram. Detailed information about the most frequent responses given in each of the response categories of the Comprehension Test should be provided to correctly judge comprehensibility and improve designs. Also information concerning knowledge about this medical specialization should be collected at the end of the test, as studies suggest that many terms used for healthcare facilities are often not understood well by people visiting hospitals or related institutions.

Radiology

Until then we can recommend using a pictogram similar to the pictogram proposed by the Society for Experiential Graphic Design for Imaging/Radiology.

Tests of pictograms of referent Radiology

Fontaine, L., Fernández, O., & Middleton, D. (2010): Universal Symbols in Health Care - Symbol Design Research Report. SEGD.

Hashim, M. J., Alkaabi, M. S., & Bharwani, S. (2014): Interpretation of way-finding healthcare symbols by a multicultural population: navigation signage design for global health. Applied ergonomics, 45(3), 503–509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2013.07.002

Lee, S., Dazkir, S. S., Paik, H. S., & Coskun, A. (2014). Comprehensibility of universal healthcare symbols for wayfinding in healthcare facilities. Applied Ergonomics, 45(4), 878-885. doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2013.11.003

Zender, M., & Cassedy, A.E. (2014): (Mis)understanding: Icon Comprehension in Different Cultural Contexts. Visible Language, 48, 69.