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<article article-type="editorial" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" dtd-version="1.3" xml:lang="EN">
<front>
<journal-meta>
<journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">Front. Radiol.</journal-id><journal-title-group>
<journal-title>Frontiers in Radiology</journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="pubmed">Front. Radiol.</abbrev-journal-title></journal-title-group>
<issn pub-type="epub">2673-8740</issn>
<publisher>
<publisher-name>Frontiers Media S.A.</publisher-name>
</publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.3389/fradi.2026.1798556</article-id>
<article-version article-version-type="Version of Record" vocab="NISO-RP-8-2008"/>
<article-categories>
<subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
<subject>Editorial</subject>
</subj-group>
</article-categories>
<title-group>
<article-title>Editorial: Emergency radiology: between unsolved problems and new challenges</article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><name><surname>Di Grezia</surname><given-names>Graziella</given-names></name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref>
<uri xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/3364074/overview"/>
<role vocab="credit" vocab-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/" vocab-term="Writing &#x2013; original draft" vocab-term-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/writing-original-draft/">Writing &#x2013; original draft</role></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><name><surname>Scaglione</surname><given-names>Mariano</given-names></name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2"><sup>2</sup></xref>
<uri xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/2987953/overview"/>
<role vocab="credit" vocab-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/" vocab-term="Writing &#x2013; review &#x0026; editing" vocab-term-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/writing-review-editing/">Writing &#x2013; review &#x0026; editing</role></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><name><surname>Tamburrini</surname><given-names>Stefania</given-names></name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3"><sup>3</sup></xref>
<uri xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1171699/overview"/>
<role vocab="credit" vocab-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/" vocab-term="conceptualization" vocab-term-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/conceptualization/">Conceptualization</role><role vocab="credit" vocab-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/" vocab-term="Writing &#x2013; review &#x0026; editing" vocab-term-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/writing-review-editing/">Writing &#x2013; review &#x0026; editing</role></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes"><name><surname>Sica</surname><given-names>Giacomo</given-names></name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff4"><sup>4</sup></xref>
<xref ref-type="corresp" rid="cor1">&#x002A;</xref>
<uri xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/2742870/overview"/>
<role vocab="credit" vocab-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/" vocab-term="conceptualization" vocab-term-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/conceptualization/">Conceptualization</role><role vocab="credit" vocab-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/" vocab-term="supervision" vocab-term-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/supervision/">Supervision</role><role vocab="credit" vocab-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/" vocab-term="validation" vocab-term-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/validation/">Validation</role><role vocab="credit" vocab-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/" vocab-term="Writing &#x2013; review &#x0026; editing" vocab-term-identifier="https://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/writing-review-editing/">Writing &#x2013; review &#x0026; editing</role></contrib>
</contrib-group>
<aff id="aff1"><label>1</label><institution>Department of Life Sciences, Health, and Healthcare Professions, Link Campus University</institution>, <city>Rome</city>, <country country="it">Italy</country></aff>
<aff id="aff2"><label>2</label><institution>Radiology Department of Surgery, Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Sassari</institution>, <city>Sassari</city>, <country country="it">Italy</country></aff>
<aff id="aff3"><label>3</label><institution>Radiology Unit, ASL Napoli 1 Centro</institution>, <city>Naples</city>, <country country="it">Italy</country></aff>
<aff id="aff4"><label>4</label><institution>Radiology Unit, Ospedale Sacro Cuore di Gesu&#x2014;Fatebenefratelli</institution>, <city>Benevento</city>, <country country="it">Italy</country></aff>
<author-notes>
<corresp id="cor1"><label>&#x002A;</label><bold>Correspondence:</bold> Giacomo Sica <email xlink:href="mailto:g.sica@unilink.it">g.sica@unilink.it</email></corresp>
</author-notes>
<pub-date publication-format="electronic" date-type="pub" iso-8601-date="2026-02-25"><day>25</day><month>02</month><year>2026</year></pub-date>
<pub-date publication-format="electronic" date-type="collection"><year>2026</year></pub-date>
<volume>6</volume><elocation-id>1798556</elocation-id>
<history>
<date date-type="received"><day>28</day><month>01</month><year>2026</year></date>
<date date-type="accepted"><day>02</day><month>02</month><year>2026</year></date>
</history>
<permissions>
<copyright-statement>&#x00A9; 2026 Di Grezia, Scaglione, Tamburrini and Sica.</copyright-statement>
<copyright-year>2026</copyright-year><copyright-holder>Di Grezia, Scaglione, Tamburrini and Sica</copyright-holder><license><ali:license_ref start_date="2026-02-25">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</ali:license_ref><license-p>This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY)</ext-link>. The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.</license-p></license>
</permissions>
<kwd-group>
<kwd>active bleeding imaging</kwd>
<kwd>computed tomography</kwd>
<kwd>emergency radiology</kwd>
<kwd>non operative management</kwd>
<kwd>spleen</kwd>
</kwd-group><counts>
<fig-count count="1"/>
<table-count count="0"/><equation-count count="0"/><ref-count count="6"/><page-count count="3"/><word-count count="0"/></counts><custom-meta-group><custom-meta><meta-name>section-at-acceptance</meta-name><meta-value>Emergency Radiology</meta-value></custom-meta></custom-meta-group>
</article-meta>
<notes notes-type="frontiers-research-topic">
<p>Editorial on the Research Topic <ext-link xlink:href="https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/67518/emergency-radiology-between-unsolved-problems-and-new-challenges/articles" ext-link-type="uri">Emergency radiology: between unsolved problems and new challenges</ext-link></p>
</notes>
</front>
<body>
<sec id="s1" sec-type="intro"><label>1</label><title>Introduction</title>
<p>Emergency radiology is undergoing a profound transformation, suspended between persistent clinical challenges and new opportunities driven by rapidly evolving technologies. Increasing case complexity, pressure on decision-making times, and the growing need for sustainable diagnostic pathways demand a re-evaluation of traditional models of emergency care.</p>
<p>The Research Topic &#x201C;<italic>Emergency Radiology: Between Unsolved Problems and New Challenges</italic>&#x201D; was conceived with this awareness: to explore how imaging is no longer merely a diagnostic tool but a strategic component capable of shaping the entire patient pathway.</p>
<p>The contributions collected in this Special Issue converge on a unifying principle: emergency radiology must not only respond to emergencies&#x2014;it must anticipate them (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="F1">Figure&#x00A0;1</xref>).</p>
<fig id="F1" position="float"><label>Figure&#x00A0;1</label>
<caption><p>Conceptual workflow of patient-centered sustainable emergency radiology.</p></caption>
<graphic mimetype="image" mime-subtype="tiff" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="fradi-06-1798556-g001.tif"><alt-text content-type="machine-generated">Infographic illustrating a patient-centered, sustainable emergency radiology process with four interconnected boxes: detection with a chest X-ray icon, characterization with a monitor displaying an X-ray, interventional procedures with a medical figure icon, and sustainable follow-up with a calendar checkmark icon, all arranged in a cycle.</alt-text>
</graphic>
</fig>
</sec>
<sec id="s2"><label>2</label><title>Detection: identifying acute and rapidly evolving conditions</title>
<p>Several contributions highlight the central role of imaging in the early detection of rare or rapidly progressive emergencies.</p>
<p>The case of spontaneous splenic rupture reported by <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fradi.2025.1715806">Romano et al.</ext-link> illustrates the diagnostic challenge posed by conditions that mimic more common presentations. Contrast-enhanced CT remains essential for distinguishing traumatic from non-traumatic etiologies and guiding the choice between conservative and surgical management (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B1">1</xref>&#x2013;<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="B5">5</xref>).</p>
<p>Similarly, acute portal vein thrombosis in non-cirrhotic patients, described by <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fradi.2025.1662089">Zhou et al.</ext-link>, demonstrates how timely CT evaluation enables rapid diagnosis and stratification of therapeutic options. In both scenarios, imaging functions as the first decisive step in recognizing high-risk conditions.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s3"><label>3</label><title>Characterization: defining the clinical scenario with precision</title>
<p>Once detected, acute conditions require accurate characterization to guide management.</p>
<p><ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2026.1710734">Weng et al.</ext-link> describe pediatric duodenal intramural hematoma, a condition in which multimodal imaging&#x2014;CT for rapid assessment, MRI for detailed evaluation, and ultrasound for monitoring&#x2014;allows a comprehensive understanding of lesion extent and evolution.</p>
<p><ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fradi.2025.1652004">Karimialavijeh et al.</ext-link> address acute myocarditis, emphasizing the value of cardiac MRI in tissue characterization. Their exploration of low-field MRI systems highlights how technological innovation can expand access to advanced diagnostic tools, even in emergency settings.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s4"><label>4</label><title>Interventional procedures: imaging-guided therapeutic decision-making</title>
<p>Imaging does not merely diagnose; it increasingly directs treatment.</p>
<p>In portal vein thrombosis, imaging findings determine whether patients are candidates for systemic thrombolysis or require more complex interventional approaches.</p>
<p><ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fradi.2025.1548211">Usai et al.</ext-link> extend this concept beyond the emergency domain, presenting a hybrid model that integrates interventional radiology, functional imaging, and robotic surgery. Selective prostatic artery embolization with ICG&#x2013;Lipiodol, followed by fluorescence-guided lymphadenectomy, exemplifies how imaging can refine surgical precision and reduce unnecessary dissections. Although elective, this model anticipates future applications in acute care.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s5"><label>5</label><title>Sustainable follow-up: low-impact, accessible monitoring pathways</title>
<p>Sustainability emerges as a transversal value across all contributions.</p>
<p>In pediatrics, ultrasound provides a radiation-free tool for dynamic follow-up of duodenal hematoma, reducing the need for repeated CT examinations.</p>
<p>In cardiac imaging, AI-enhanced low-field MRI offers a promising avenue for accessible, repeatable follow-up of myocarditis, especially in resource-limited settings. These approaches demonstrate how imaging can support long-term patient management while minimizing exposure and optimizing resources.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s6" sec-type="conclusions"><label>6</label><title>Conclusions</title>
<p>Taken together, the contributions of this Research Topic outline a radiology that evolves along a coherent pathway: detection, characterization, intervention, and sustainable follow-up, all centered on the patient.</p>
<p>As Editors, we hope that this Research Topic will stimulate further collaborations, promote the dissemination of sustainable models, and contribute to building an emergency radiology that is more prepared, more accessible, and more innovative.</p>
</sec>
</body>
<back>
<sec id="s7" sec-type="author-contributions"><title>Author contributions</title>
<p>GDG: Writing &#x2013; original draft. MS: Writing &#x2013; review &#x0026; editing. ST: Conceptualization, Writing &#x2013; review &#x0026; editing. GS: Conceptualization, Supervision, Validation, Writing &#x2013; review &#x0026; editing.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s9" sec-type="COI-statement"><title>Conflict of interest</title>
<p>The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s10" sec-type="ai-statement"><title>Generative AI statement</title>
<p>The author(s) declared that generative AI was not used in the creation of this manuscript.</p>
<p>Any alternative text (alt text) provided alongside figures in this article has been generated by Frontiers with the support of artificial intelligence and reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, including review by the authors wherever possible. If you identify any issues, please contact us.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="s11" sec-type="disclaimer"><title>Publisher&#x0027;s note</title>
<p>All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.</p>
</sec>
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<fn-group>
<fn id="n1" fn-type="custom" custom-type="edited-by"><p>Edited and Reviewed by: <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/172970/overview">Dinggang Shen</ext-link>, ShanghaiTech University, China</p></fn>
</fn-group>
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</article>