Performing scientific research and publishing the results in peer-reviewed journals is vital to the advancement of medicine. In medical imaging, scientific research should be an integral part of the continuing education of radiologists. Research in radiology (or any other field of medicine) represents an international currency that transcends political borders, helps radiologists globally keep up to date with current advances, complements teaching, improves resident training, and enhances patient care [1].

Drawing up a research project is, in most cases, the result of a deep understanding of the purpose and expected outcomes related to a specific topic. However, it is not uncommon to become discouraged when looking at a blank page (or computer screen) or contemplating if the work is novel, whether it is relevant, or if it provides new information. This lack of inspiration may cause many radiologists to relinquish their research efforts.

Needless to say, radiologists need to be constantly submerged and actively involved in continuous educational and ongoing research activities in this ever-changing landscape of medicine to accomplish two main goals: address the issues that radiologists have to face in their daily clinical and radiological practice and stay up-to-date in all the innovations that are continuously emerging not only related to radiology but also in other medical or even social disciplines. Search engines such as PubMed or Google Scholar may help scientific communities in several ways from research to kee** bibliographies up to date. Social networks can also help radiologists stay informed about current trends by means of following general or specific radiologic society accounts or social media profiles. Along the same lines, virtual radiology meetings and webinars have experienced considerable growth in the last decade and are almost an endless supplier of resources not only for teaching and learning but also for develo** ideas about research topics in radiology and its subspecialties. These scenarios can serve as the optimal breeding ground as a starting point to conceive promising research projects and address unresolved questions.

A deep understanding of what questions have been already answered and what issues still need to be fully explained or have not been adequately covered will for sure assist in the selection of relevant topics for further research, especially for younger radiologists under guidance from more senior experts.

Personal and institutional expertise can also help in identifying potential research projects in radiology, playing mentorship a crucial role to guide less experienced radiologists [2]. Radiology department seminars and hospital interdisciplinary conferences may also open a door to potential synergistic collaborations with other specialists, discovering specific needs not previously covered, and thus, finding innovative ideas and opportunities for scientific pursuit. In other words, thinking outside the “radiology box” and focusing on what other specialties need for improving their clinical practice and their patients’ outcomes and how can radiology play a role in answering these questions help in carving ideas for meaningful and translational research. The institutional work environment and available infrastructure is also an important consideration when identifying potential topics and ideas for research. Hospitals with a high prevalence of cases of a specific disease or tertiary care-referral hospitals can provide much-needed information to institutions and hospitals with limited experience in those specific clinical areas and thus enhancing patient care locally, and simultaneously providing radiologists a potential source for original scientific research projects. Along the same lines, if your institution or radiology department is a referral center for specific or advanced diagnostic or interventional techniques (already implemented or even under development), it can also be explored and exploited to obtain ideas for research and dissemination of knowledge to other centers.

In some cases, the source of inspiration or opportunities may even be found outside the work environment. Visiting other radiology departments or away rotations can open avenues and provide insights about how other colleagues address a specific task and how these can be imported into their home institutions. Of course, these kinds of experiences may enhance cooperative working between institutions and partners and thus, boost the possibilities of promoting collaborative science in radiology [3]. In some cases, national, international, or even regional radiology societies launch outreach programs and projects to address specific needs as identified by their expert committees in which radiologists may participate as researchers, as global challenges (e.g., COVID-19) require global solutions.

Scientific journals may also launch a call for papers asking to submit proposals for consideration for research and publication in a special issue dedicated to a specific topic. These proposals are usually endorsed into a focused issue and cover a spectrum of related topics across multiple radiology subspecialties, including areas such as practice management, quality, and safety. This scenario provides a potential opportunity for authors and can assist with channeling or tailoring their research ideas to fit into the editor’s requirements.

The global and scientific community, and by extension, the world, is in a state of continuous change and update. There are new technologies or trends in radiology, such as all topics related to artificial intelligence (AI), including the recent hype related to ChatGPT, and new emerging diseases that need radiology and imaging such as the COVID-19, where research interest has grown exponentially in the last few years [4, 5]. AI and COVID-19 are just some examples of new niches that were previously unknown and that can be explored and exploited as potential sources of ideas for research in radiology [6]. At this point, a critical view of what radiologists do and what can they do is essential to find answers and shed light on important research topics in a meaningful way to eventually improve outcomes, healthcare, and radiology practice in general. For example, trying to export radiologic techniques from one anatomic region to another is also an interesting topic currently used to generate innovative ideas for research in radiology. For example, well-tested and proven techniques such as diffusion-weighted imaging, which was primarily developed for central nervous system imaging, have been successfully exported to other anatomic sites and organs such as the liver, prostate, or breast [7]. Nowadays there are still dozens of advanced radiologic technologies waiting to be explored and tested with applications different for which they were initially created and can help in providing answers or filling gaps in knowledge to previously scarcely addressed imaging challenges, clinical issues, or patients’ needs.

Nevertheless, ideas for research in radiology should be broad and not just limited to the clinical or purely radiological-image-based scope. As mentioned above, we are experiencing continuous changes in society with a real and worldwide impact. For this reason, our research should also be focused outside our comfort zone with the aim to explore and provide newer insights and potential solutions by tackling other usually neglected topics that could be related to economics (i.e., climatic change and reducing energy-related costs for radiology equipment), health equity, inclusion and diversity (i.e., gender differences or global access to screening programs), or resources management (i.e., a worldwide shortage of radiologists or facing with the “feared” integration of AI) among others.

Finally, the possibility of successfully identifying ideas for research in radiology depends on a strong team you can count on, which includes experts, PhD scientists, physicists, and coordinator support staff. Steady support and a collaborative working environment, mentorship, collegiality with other radiologists from the same department or different institutions, other clinical specialists, radiographers, engineers, data analysts, or the support of scientific societies or stakeholders will facilitate the development of new ideas with greater chances of success [8].

In conclusion, ideas and opportunities for conducting research in radiology are plentiful. They usually arise from the radiologist’s individual professional experience and their observations of the world around them. Inspiration will only emerge in a fertile environment of continuous research and study, or in the words of Pablo Picasso (Málaga 1881, Mougins 1973), one of the greatest avant-garde artists of all time, “inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.”