Large Language Models in Radiologist–Patient Communication: A Narrative Review for Clinical Practice
Abstract
Large language models (LLMs) are used in radiology to simplify reports, translate findings, and support patient-facing communication, yet their clinical value and safety remain uncertain. This narrative review was conducted in accordance with the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) quality criteria and synthesises evidence from 49 studies published between 2020 and 2025, focusing on clinician-mediated use of LLMs across four domains: report simplification, multilingual translation, patient education, and patient attitudes. Across studies, LLMs consistently improved readability by 2-6 grade levels, but only one randomised trial directly assessed patient comprehension. A professional review was required in up to 80% of outputs in controlled settings, compared with
Fields of Study & Subjects
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
Radiology practices and education
Clinical Reasoning and Diagnostic Skills
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Cureus
- Publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- e101890–e101890
- Publication date
- 20 January 2026
- Language
- EN