In what many radiologists are dubbing ‘the greatest advance in radiology since the CT scanner’, the American Society of Radiology added ‘stable exam’ to the list of acceptable codes.
Dr. Reddy A. Shun has been the champion of this decade-long struggle to legitimize these 2 words as an acceptable chest X-ray interpretation.
‘It has been a long struggle, but that makes this moment all the more sweeter. All through my training, I was castigated by all my attendings for using this code as my X ray interpretations.
So what if the patient had multifocal consolidations with cavities, biventricular assist devices, endotracheal tube in the right mainstem bronchus, rib fractures and flail chest with bilateral pneumothoraces, it really hadn’t changed much from the day before. That by definition is………wait for it………a stable exam!!!” exulted Dr. Reddy in a manner vaguely reminiscent of George W. Bush’s turkey head bob.
‘Great thinkers are often chastised initially – so I never let that discourage me. In fact I have been chastised all my life – I think it builds character. Thank you Mom. I love you!’
Dr. Reddy was felicitated by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons last week and was presented with a plaque commemorating his incredible brevity. He underscored his tacit nature by condensing his speech into 2 words – ‘thank you’. And as he walked away from the microphone to take his seat, the auditorium exploded into a thunderous applause and a standing ovation with some female members in the front 2 seats losing bladder control and collapsing.
‘So is this what Dr. Reddy will be remembered for?’ asked Gomerblog correspondent, Ivana Trumpalot.
‘you never know – I still have a few productive years left.’
Rumor has it he is now working on legitimizing another diagnosis code – unstable exam.
