
44
J Gandhara Med Dent Sci
October - December 2026
enough information is not available. There is little time
to pause, so they have to think on their feet and make a
quick decision. This creates a clear tension and tests their
nerves. On one hand, they want to be certain about the
diagnosis. On the other, they cannot aord to delay
treatment. As a result, they often have to balance speed
with accuracy and make the best possible decision with
what they have. Fellows often make quick decisions in
urgent situations, even without full information,
balancing the need to act fast with the need to be
accurate.
Theme 5: Learning Through Experience
Fellows said that experience is key to building
confidence and improving decision-making. They
learned over time through several ways: Seeing more
cases, which helped them recognise patterns; and reading
the literature to strengthen their knowledge. Getting
feedback from consultants helped them correct mistakes
and improve over time; this learning helped them nd
their feet and feel more comfortable handling dicult
cases. They became better at dealing with uncertainty
and more condent in making decisions on their own.
Fellows become more condent and better at making
decisions as they gain experience, learn from cases, and
receive feedback.
DISCUSSION
This qualitative study points out several critical factors
that inuence clinical decision-making in cardiothoracic
radiology despite limited sample size. Our findings show
that clinical decision-making is not solely based on
imaging, but is shaped by a combination of clinical
information, consultant support, experience, and the
ability to manage uncertainty, often in crucial time-
sensitive and acute situations. Fellows described
depending on accurate clinical history and operative
details to interpret imaging correctly, especially in
postoperative studies, while also seeking input from
consultants and multidisciplinary teams to improve
confidence and reduce errors in diagnosis. Uncertainty
was a common feature, and all fellows reported a certain
level of uncertainty, particularly in complex
postoperative and vascular cases, where multiple
dierential diagnoses had to be considered at the same
time. In addition, participants reported working under
pressure, where rapid decisions were required despite
incomplete or insucient information, highlighting the
balance between diagnostic certainty and timely
intervention. These ndings are consistent with the work
of Mastrodicasa D et al., which emphasises the value of
integrating imaging with clinical context and working
within a multidisciplinary environment.
7
Repeated
exposures to complex cases helps fellows improve their
clinical reasoning and recognise imaging patterns more
confidently. This may reect dual-process theory, where
familiar cases are recognised more rapidly through
pattern recognition, while dicult or unfamiliar cases
require slower and more careful thinking. They also
learn by observing how experienced supervisors
approach difficult cases and reach a diagnosis. However,
when cases are unfamiliar or uncertain, senior support
remains important. The study also supports the idea that
experience and ongoing learning play a key role in
developing condence and gradual independent
support, clinical context, and experience. Access to
decision-making. Overall, this suggests that decision-
making in cardiothoracic radiology is a complex and
evolving process that depends on both individual
judgement, learning and eective teamwork. Seeking
consultant input in dubious cases remains an important
component of safe clinical practice in radiology. The
review by Manoel PZ et al. describes how modern
cardiovascular imaging is increasingly incorporated with
clinical data to support more precise and bespoke patient
care.
8
This reects our ndings that accurate clinical
information is essential for interpreting imaging and
improving diagnostic condence in reporting. The
review also highlights the use of advanced technologies
and quantitative imaging in making more structured and
accurate reports. However, despite these advances, the
need for clinical judgement, experience, and
multidisciplinary feedback remains central. This
supports our observation that decision-making in
cardiothoracic radiology continues to depend on a
balance between technology, clinical context, and
human experience. Uncertainty is a fundamental part of
radiology reports rather than a reection of inadequate
knowledge. It can be attributed to many factors,
including technical diculties and si milar imaging
features. Bruno et al. demonstrate how imaging
interpretation often involves vagueness due to
overlapping imaging ndings, making uncertainty a
central feature of radiological practice.
9
Similarly,
Littlefair et al. stresses that radiology decision-making
frequently occurs in situations where complete certainty
is not possible.
10
This aligns with our results and themes,
where fellows reported diculty distinguishing between
similar imaging features despite having adequate
knowledge. Together, this suggests that complexity in
cardiothoracic imaging arises mainly from the nature of
the imaging itself, requiring clinicians to manage
uncertainty and consider multiple possible diagnoses
rather than simply applying factual knowledge.
Adequate clinical information and multidisciplinary
input help in these cases. Fellows trust a combination of
support systems, clinical context, and experiential
learning to navigate this uncertainty. Consultant
supervision emerged as a key factor, reecting the
importance of mentorship in clinical training and
fellowship. Fellows do not remove uncertainty, but they
learn to manage it efciently through a combination of
Interpreting Complexity: How Senior Clinical Fellows Approach