Contrast and Clarity with the JACR – Details, episodes & analysis

That “black box” AI algorithm your practice just bought might look sleek on a demo screen—but when something goes wrong, it won’t be the software company signing the report. It’ll be you.

In this episode of Contrast & Clarity, Maddi and Jeff interview Ken Davis, Senior Counsel in Healthcare at Katten Law Firm, for a no-fluff conversation about the intersection of radiology, contract law, and the use of artificial intelligence. Together, we dive into the legal realities of AI implementation – and the due diligence that radiologists can’t afford to ignore.

We explore questions like:

·     What kind of due diligence should practices perform before deploying AI?

·     How do clinical vs. nonclinical AI tools differ from a liability standpoint?

·     Why is it important to try to see beyond the black box nature of an algorithm?

·     What should new radiologists know about the AI their group uses?

If your practice is using AI – or considering it – this episode is your legal reality check.

Find the prior relevant JACR articles here:

https://www.jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(25)00444-2/abstract

https://www.jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(25)00438-7/abstract

Find Ken Davis’ article “Top Ten Legal Considerations forUse and/or Development of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare”: https://shorturl.at/0CrE5

Find the additional article mentioned on patients’ views on the use of AI in healthcare: https://shorturl.at/iJ7ia

What happens when AI gets it wrong – and who’s actually on the hook?

In this episode of Contrast & Clarity with the JACR, we sit down with Tanya E. Karwaki, JD, PhD, author of the JACR opinion piece “Balancing Artificial Intelligence Risks and Benefits in an Evolving Legal Environment,” to unpack one of the most uncomfortable – but unavoidable topics in radiology AI: legal risk.

AI adoption in radiology is accelerating, with more than a thousand FDA-approved tools already in circulation. But the legal framework governing their use? Still very much under construction. Dr. Karwaki walks us through why increasing lawsuits may be inevitable, how malpractice standards evolve alongside new technologies, and what radiologists should understand about liability when AI recommendations are followed—or ignored.

From informed consent and data privacy to emerging state-level legislation and disclosure requirements, this conversation provides critical context for anyone navigating AI implementation in clinical practice today.

If you’re using AI, thinking about using AI, or wondering where the legal guardrails actually are—this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Find the JACR article here: https://www.jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(25)00438-7/abstract

How can multidisciplinary teams improve lung cancer screening? What are the primary barriers to lung cancer screening and how can they be addressed?

In this week's episode, Maddi and Jeff catch up with Lauren Groner, DO, MS and Rishikesh Dalal, MD, MPH about their research that used behavioral and implementation science to better understand lung cancer screening barriers and develop a strategy to increase screening rates. Their team also developed LungCheck.org to help serve as a hub of information for both providers and patients!

Claim your CME here: https://shorturl.at/6qr97

Find the JACR original article here: https://www.jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(24)00999-2/fulltext

Are radiologists following the playbook on what to do next when there is an incidental adrenal nodule on a lung cancer screening CT?

Maddi and Jeff interview Aparna Singh, MD about her new study that shows radiologists aren't exactly consistent in handling these unexpected findings - sometimes over-reacting, sometimes under-reacting, and often skipping an important lab test entirely. There is also a special guest appearance by Jared Christensen, MD, MBA and his expert insight on the S modifier.

Find the JACR original article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40044307/

Inappropriate medical imaging results in low-value, excess imaging - but what about the environmental impact?

Maddi and Jeff sit down with Gregory Cavanagh, MD, Julia Schoen, MD, MS, and Elizabeth Rula, PhD to discuss how their study estimated excess green house gas emissions that are associated with inappropriate medical imaging in the Medicare Part B population from 2017 to 2021.

Find the JACR article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40152841/

Get your CME here: https://cortex.acr.org/Presenters/CaseScript/CaseView?Info=RTWVsH3pWR4iYbD5FO37fw305omFBCsKOef8Wr0foV4%253d

The incidental finding of hepatic steatosis on imaging may present an avenue for opportunistic screening, leading to more efficient identification of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and risk prediction for fibrosis. How can radiologists best facilitate this?

In this episode, Maddi and Jeff sit down with Emily Schonfeld, MD and Andrea Siobhan Kierans, MD to discuss their recent review article about recommendations for when hepatic steatosis is found on imaging and subsequent noninvasive tests to help predict overall fibrosis staging.

Find the JACR article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40044315/

Have you ever wondered what additional screening measures could be implemented by utilizing information from routine CT scans?

In this episode, Maddi and Jeff were joined by Soterios Gyftopoulos, MD, MBA, FACR and Casey Pelzl, MPH to discuss their research about how simple, opportunistic CT bone density screening could transform bone health and healthcare spending.

Find the JACR article here: https://www.jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(24)00837-8/fulltext

The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) is the largest pay-for-performance program that links reimbursement to performance of Medicare clinicians. How have radiologists performed under this program and are there certain predictors of success? In this episode, Maddi and Jeff are joined by YoonKyung Chung, PhD and Lauren Nicola, MD to discuss their findings about radiologists' performance under the 2019 MIPS program and they also gain valuable insight from the experts.

Find the JACR article here: https://www.jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(25)00055-9/fulltext

Join us for the last installment of this three part series about re-imagining the radiology residency! In this episode, Fatima Elahi, DO guest co-hosts with Maddi and Jeff to discuss RadDiscord, which is a free educational digital community that allows equalized access to high-quality education. Available to medical students, radiology residents, as well as attending physicians, the platform allows access to case conferences, crowd-sourced Anki decks, and a supportive community.

Link to RadDiscord: https://www.raddiscord.org/

Claim your CME here: https://cortex.acr.org/Presenters/CaseScript/CaseView?Info=wQDhaBanwKm1w3DGH9WrXdv9Thf1LcnhMqXIoSk5Hqk%253d

Part 2 of Revamping the Radiology Residency! Fatima Elahi, DO joins Maddi and Jeff again to discuss competency-based education and its feasibility for real-world adoption in residencies. Priscilla Slanetz, MD, MPH, FACR gives her insight regarding metrics and standardized radiology residency curricula to enable a competency-based education that is time independent.

Find the JACR articles here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39612973/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39612972/

Claim your CME here: https://cortex.acr.org/Presenters/CaseScript/CaseView?Info=bSIRxZHC2JPSCgR0CE01uLu%2fU1lCh%2b%2blG%2fLdV1V0Wj0%253d