The radiologist as an independent "third party" to the patient and clinicians in the era of generative AI.

Radiologists are crucial in the diagnostic workflow. They must maintain an independent perspective, being a "third party" to the patients and referral clinicians. This is important when documenting the absence of relevant abnormalities or providing information that contradicts the self-reported symptoms and/or the impression of the colleagues, as well as in the case of incidental findings that impact patient management. Appropriate communication is the outcome of this professional independence, becoming more and more important in the current era of application of generative artificial intelligence to the radiological world. In fact, while radiological reports could be improved by our smart use of large language models, patients are already using such tools to understand their meaning and practical implications.