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24 Philosophical Issues in Medical Imaging

Lalumera, Elisabetta (2025) 24 Philosophical Issues in Medical Imaging. [Preprint]

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Abstract

This chapter aims to shed light on the normative questions raised by medical imaging (MI), paving the way for interdisciplinary dialogue and further philosophical exploration. MI comprises noninvasive techniques aimed at visualizing internal human body structures to aid in explanation, diagnosis, and monitoring of health conditions. MI requires interpretation by specialized professionals, and is routinely employed across medical disciplines. It is entrenched in clinical guidelines and therapeutic interventions. Moreover, it is a dynamic research field, witnessing ongoing technological advancements. After surveying philosophical issues arising from MI, which are relatively unexplored, the chapter focuses on the epistemology of diagnostic imaging. Specifically, it delves into what constitutes an image as evidence and how radiological procedures generate knowledge. The discussion dissects three facets of the radiological process: image interpretation, radiological reporting, and semantic analysis. Each facet carries distinct epistemic implications, as errors can manifest in various ways, affecting the acquisition of patient-relevant knowledge.


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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Lalumera, Elisabettaelisabetta.lalumera@unibo.it0000-0002-0345-0838
Additional Information: This is the preprint version (accepted ms) to appear in A. Broadbent (ed.) Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Medicine, ch. 24, pp. 870-912, Oxford University Press, 2025
Keywords: medical imaging, radiology, epistemology, medical error, oncology, diagnosis
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Medicine > Clinical Trials
General Issues > Evidence
Specific Sciences > Medicine
General Issues > Social Epistemology of Science
General Issues > Technology
Depositing User: Dr. Elisabetta Lalumera
Date Deposited: 22 Oct 2024 12:11
Last Modified: 22 Oct 2024 12:11
Item ID: 24097
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Medicine > Clinical Trials
General Issues > Evidence
Specific Sciences > Medicine
General Issues > Social Epistemology of Science
General Issues > Technology
Date: 2025
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/24097

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