Turf battles in radiology: how to avoid how to fight how to win

Turf battles have always existed in radiology although recently, we have ob served an increase in their numbers and sometimes in their virulence. The m ain reasons for this increase include the relative plethora of physicians e specially in industrialized areas, and the rapid progress and development o f medical technology and minimally invasive techniques. These turf battles risk interfering with the overall medical costs of local health care system s as they will inevitably lead to an increase in the concentration of compl ex medical devices controlled by different specialties which, in turn, will lead to an increase in number of invasive and noninvasive, diagnostic and therapeutic examinations. The only way that radiologists can hope to mainta in control of today's techniques will be if they are wilting to offer quali tative expertise in their procedures with full clinical, academic and techn ological backing similar or superior to that presented by our respective cl inical and surgical colleagues. Furthermore, they should be fully involved in the decisional process and actual purchase of the technological equipmen t of their entire institution.