ARRT Patient Care Practice Exam

Radiographs are considered the property of which entity?

1. Radiologist

2. Patient

3. Health care institution

4. Referring physician

The correct answer is: Health care institution

Radiographs are considered the property of the health care institution because they are part of the medical record created during the course of a patient's treatment in that institution. This legal perspective is grounded in the understanding that medical records, including radiographs, are generated using the institution's resources, equipment, and personnel. As a result, the institution retains ownership of these records, which allows it to manage, archive, and ensure their accessibility for future medical reference, billing, and patient care. While patients have rights regarding their medical information and may request copies of their radiographs for personal use or transfer to another provider, ownership rests with the institution that generated them. This arrangement also helps protect the integrity of the medical record in the context of patient care and legal considerations. Other parties mentioned, such as radiologists and referring physicians, play roles in interpreting and utilizing radiographs for patient management, but they do not own these records. Their access to the radiographs is typically governed by institutional policies and patient consent rather than ownership rights.