Perception is at the core of what radiologists do every day. Almost by definition, fully qualified radiologists are very good at perceiving, at least when it comes to the detection and interpretation of radiological images of the human body. But could a more thorough understanding of perception—and in particular, how we learn to perceive—enable radiologists to find more joy in their work, further enhance their powers of perception, or teach radiology more effectively?
PERCEPTION
The word perception comes from the Latin percipere , meaning to comprehend or grasp with the mind. It in turn is derived from two roots, per - meaning thoroughly and kap - meaning to grasp. So to perceive something is to grasp it thoroughly and thereby to see it for what it is. When novices viewing a chest radiograph mistake a skin fold for a pneumothorax, they have in a sense failed to perceive or misperceived what they are seeing.
Implicit in this example is the notion that we learn to perceive. We are born with the ability to see, but it is only over time and often with effort that we develop the ability to see what is really before us. Automobile enthusiasts learn to distinguish between different makes and models of cars, fashionistas gain an appreciation for different styles of dress, and birdwatchers learn to tell the difference between different avian species.
Likewise, students of radiology learn to distinguish between normal and abnormal anatomic patterns, as well as between different types of pathologic processes. On what basis, for example, is it possible for someone inspecting a skull radiograph to distinguish between a cranial suture and a nondisplaced skull fracture? Likewise, how might a learner begin to distinguish between different types of skull lesions, such as infectious and neoplastic processes?
LEARNING TO PERCEIVE
Such questions remind us that there are several different forms of perceptual learning ( ). One is distinguishing between different objects of perception, such as dogs and rabbits. Many features enter into such a distinction, such as the fact that dogs have their eyes mounted on the fronts of their heads, while rabbits’ are placed more on the sides. In radiology, one such distinction might involve osteolytic versus osteoblastic lesions.
Another type of perceptual learning involves recognizing the similarities or connections between different things. For example, though different from each other in many respects, dogs and rabbits are both animals. In radiology, learners acquire the ability to recognize anatomic boundaries, and to distinguish imaging artifacts, such as a fold in a blanket, from a pathologic lesion, such as pneumoperitoneum, based on whether such findings respect anatomic boundaries.
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HOW PERCEPTUAL LEARNING WORKS
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EXPERTISE
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IMPLICATIONS FOR RADIOLOGY EDUCATION
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References
1. Connolly K: Perceptual learning: the flexibility of the senses.2019.Oxford University PressNew York, NY
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