Academic Journal
Post-shift diagnostic insight in radiography: Incubation and the temporal extension of clinical reasoning.
| Τίτλος: | Post-shift diagnostic insight in radiography: Incubation and the temporal extension of clinical reasoning. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Chau MT; School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Health, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 2650 Australia; Teaching Innovation in Radiography Group, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 2650 Australia; VinUniversity, Vinhomes Ocean Park, Gia Lam District, Hanoi, Viet Nam. Electronic address: schau@csu.edu.au., White S; Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, 4 North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000 Australia; South Australia Medical Imaging, Flinders Medical Centre, 3 Flinders Drive, Bedford Park, South Australia, 5042 Australia. Electronic address: s.white@adelaide.edu.au., Ofori-Manteaw B; School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Health, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 2650 Australia; Teaching Innovation in Radiography Group, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 2650 Australia. Electronic address: bofori-manteaw@csu.edu.au., Ago JL; Teaching Innovation in Radiography Group, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 2650 Australia; Discipline of Medical Radiations, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora Campus, PO Box 71 Bundoora Victoria, 3083 Australia. Electronic address: s4065685@student.rmit.edu.au., Bentley-Spuur K; School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Health, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 2650 Australia; Teaching Innovation in Radiography Group, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 2650 Australia. Electronic address: kbentley-spuur@csu.edu.au., Kerr H; School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Health, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 2650 Australia; Teaching Innovation in Radiography Group, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 2650 Australia. Electronic address: hkerr@csu.edu.au., Gray F; Teaching Innovation in Radiography Group, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 2650 Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Science Rd, Camperdown, Sydney, New South Wales, 2050 Australia. Electronic address: frances.gray@sydney.edu.au., Sulikowski D; School of Psychology, Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Panorama Ave, Bathurst, New South Wales, 2795 Australia. Electronic address: dsulikowski@csu.edu.au. |
| Πηγή: | Radiography (London, England : 1995) [Radiography (Lond)] 2026 Sep; Vol. 32 (6), pp. 103535. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Aug 17. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Review |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Elsevier B.V Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 9604102 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1532-2831 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 10788174 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Radiography (Lond) Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: 2003- : Amsterdam : Elsevier B.V. Original Publication: London ; Philadelphia : W.B. Saunders Co., c1995- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Radiography*/psychology , Clinical Reasoning* , Clinical Competence*, Humans ; Cognition ; Attention |
| Περίληψη: | Objectives: Diagnostic radiography requires sustained visual attention, rapid technical execution, and continuous evaluative judgement under conditions of high cognitive load. In practice, radiographers must integrate patient presentation, positioning, radiation safety, workflow demands, and image quality assessment in real time. Many radiographers also report that insights about positioning adequacy, subtle abnormalities, or possible oversight arise only after the clinical shift has ended. Although this experience is widely described informally, it has not been formally examined within the diagnostic radiography literature. This narrative review explored whether post-shift diagnostic insight can be understood through evidence on clinical reasoning, perceptual expertise, incubation, and post-task associative processing. Key Findings: The reviewed literature suggests that diagnostic expertise depends on rapid pattern recognition supported by executive control, but that complex or ambiguous cases may remain only partially resolved during high-pressure clinical work. Research on incubation, mind-wandering, and perceptual learning indicates that periods of reduced cognitive demand may enable continued reorganisation of previously encoded information, allowing overlooked details, alternative interpretations, or unresolved concerns to become more salient. This process provides a plausible account of how insight may emerge after focused clinical engagement has ceased. Conclusion: Post-shift diagnostic insight can be conceptualised as a continuation of diagnostic reasoning rather than delayed reflection alone. Recognising this temporal extension of clinical reasoning has implications for practice, education, and workforce design. Implications for Practice: Structured opportunities for case revisitation, psychologically safe discussion of delayed recognition, and educational approaches that acknowledge cognitive recovery, may support adaptive expertise, strengthen error recognition, and contribute to more sustainable radiography practice. (Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.) |
| Competing Interests: | Conflict of interest statement The authors declare that they have no competing interests. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Consolidation; Diagnostic reasoning; Incubation effect; Radiography |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260817 Date Completed: 20260903 Latest Revision: 20260903 |
| Update Code: | 20260904 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.radi.2026.103535 |
| PMID: | 42607345 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
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