XP Daily Plain comparisons of personal productivity tools

How to record findings between scans for radiologists in 2026

A plain guide for radiologists on how to record findings between scans, with steps, the tools to try and the habits that keep breaks short.

By XP Daily ยท

XP Daily is published by the makers of DaysAid, QuickDictate and YTSort, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Keep a notes window open and in focus, decide how you will get words into it before a scan starts, and record each finding as soon as the image is read. A dictation tool such as QuickDictate can type what you say into whichever window is open.

OptionHow findings get recordedCost to you in money
Paper and penYou write each finding by hand during a breakNothing published here; depends on what you already own
Word processor or notes appYou type each finding into an open document or formNot published; check the app's own pages
QuickDictateYou hold a key while talking, and the words are typed into the window in focus [1]Free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account [1]

What you need before you start

Recording findings between scans takes only a few things.

Step by step

These steps work with any tool, including a pen and paper.

  1. Open the window where the finding will go. Leave the form, report or notes window in focus so your words land in the right place. [1]
  2. Decide what a finding means for this practice. It may be a provisional report, a line in a worklist, or a message to a colleague. Agree on the fields you fill in so each break is spent recording, not deciding.
  3. Get set up before the scan ends. Start the dictation tool or settle into your seat so the words are captured as soon as the image is on screen.
  4. Record the finding while the image is in front of you. Read off the finding, its location and any impression while the scan is still visible.
  5. Check the text before you dismiss the image. Read the drafted line against the scan and correct anything the tool missed or mis-heard.
  6. Fix misheard words out loud. Saying "scratch that" discards the text you just dictated instead of inserting it. [1]
  7. Bring back a recent entry if the window closed. QuickDictate keeps the last 50 dictations in Settings, and the history survives a restart or self-update. [1]
  8. Move on only when the text is right. Confirm the finding reads correctly, then close or save according to your practice.
  9. Refocus for the next image. Bring your next scan up and leave the notes window ready, so the pattern repeats without rework.

Tools that can do it

You do not need special software for this. Here are options to consider.

Paper and pen. You write each finding by hand when a break comes. Nothing is published here about price or limits because it depends on what you already own.

A word processor or notes app. You type each finding into an open document or form. Facts about specific apps are not provided here, so check their own pages for limits and cost.

Speech recognition already in your department's reporting software. Some reporting systems can take dictated text, but nothing is published here about them. Ask your IT or clinical systems team whether dictation is built in and what setup it needs.

QuickDictate. QuickDictate is made by the team that publishes this site. It is a Windows program that types what you say into whichever window you are using. [1] You hold a key while you talk, or press it once to start and once to stop, and you can change both keys. [1] What you say is typed into whichever window has focus, such as an editor, chat box, terminal or web form. [1]

With five of the cloud providers, words appear while you are still talking. [1] Profiles can change the provider, language, vocabulary and formatting depending on which app is in focus. [1] While you are dictating, other apps' audio is muted or turned down, and it returns to its old level when you stop. [1]

You can sync preferences such as hotkeys and language between PCs, and API keys, audio and transcripts are never synced. [1] QuickDictate runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11, with no Mac or Linux version. [1] It is delivered as an .exe file on GitHub, with a built-in updater that works silently, and it can also be built from source. [1]

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account, and cloud providers bill you separately for their service. [1] From v0.9.0 on it is source-available under PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0, free for personal and other noncommercial use, and commercial use needs a separate licence. [1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Starting from an empty window. Opening a fresh document in a short break wastes time. Keep the notes window open and in focus so text lands where you want it.

Dictating during the scan. Capture findings when the image is being reviewed, not while the machine is running, so the microphone does not pick up machine noise.

Skipping the read-back. A wrong word in a finding can cause a wrong action later. Read the drafted line against the image before the next scan starts.

Letting a broken dictation stop the habit. If speech input is down, fall back to typing or paper rather than dropping the practice entirely.

Trusting the history blindly. The recording history keeps recent dictations, but a clinical finding should be checked and saved in your own records rather than left for later. [1]

Not reviewing the routine. If a break keeps running over, change the method or the fields you fill in, instead of sticking with a process that does not fit.

Frequently asked questions

How can a radiologist record findings between scans?

Keep a notes window or form open and in focus, agree on what a finding includes, and capture it as soon as the image is reviewed. A dictation tool such as QuickDictate types what you say into whichever window is open, so a finding can be spoken rather than typed during a short break. [1]

Does QuickDictate work with medical terms?

QuickDictate lets you list words and phrases that are sent to the provider to help it recognise them, and a replacement table fixes spellings such as "Chat GPT" to "ChatGPT". [1] Adding the medical and anatomical words you use most often is the way to get a recognition tool to handle long terms.

Does a radiologist need an internet connection to dictate with QuickDictate?

It depends on the provider chosen. With a cloud provider, dictation needs an internet connection and the provider bills you directly, with words appearing while you still talk for five of them. [1] [1] Choosing Local in Settings and installing a speech model means dictation needs no internet connection or API key. [1]

How does QuickDictate handle a mistake in speech?

Saying "scratch that" discards the text you just dictated instead of inserting it, and it is the only voice command shipped. [1] If the window closed or a restart happened, the last 50 dictations are kept in Settings and the history survives a restart or self-update. [1]

Is QuickDictate free to use?

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account, and cloud providers bill you separately for their service. [1] From v0.9.0 on it is source-available under PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0, and commercial use needs a separate licence. [1] A radiologist using it for paid clinical work should confirm with the publisher whether that use needs a licence.

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account. Cloud providers bill you separately for their service. [1]

Try QuickDictate

Sources

  1. QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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