Reporting Guidelines for Imaging Research

Abstract

Suboptimal reporting in the publication of imaging research studies is a growing concern. Deficient and incomplete reporting prevents the evaluation of the validity, replicability, and the overall quality of the research. Reporting guidelines are checklists designed to guide researchers about the minimum information to be provided in research studies to allow for adequate quality appraisal and to assess generalizability. They are a powerful tool to allow key stakeholders such as journal editors, peer reviewers, funding agencies, and readers to better identify robust health research. The Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency of Health Research Network is an international initiative that attempts to improve the reporting practices of a variety of health research study designs by providing the resources required to develop, disseminate, and implement reporting guidelines. In this review, we elaborate on the impact of good reporting on imaging research, and the different types of guidelines relevant for the various study designs applicable in imaging research.