Radiology read de-identification is the removal of all 18 HIPAA Safe Harbor IDs (45 CFR §164.514(b)) from the file. anonym.plus does this on your own machine. The findings stay readable, but the text no longer names a person.
When this applies
You want to teach from a chest CT write-up or share it with a peer. First the name, the dates, and the order number have to come out.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the file (PDF, DOCX, or scan) on your device.
- Local OCR reads scanned pages, so printed text is caught too.
- The tool marks names, dates, MRNs, and phone numbers.
- Review each mark and keep any clinical term flagged by mistake.
- Replace each ID with a steady label, or black it out.
- Save the clean file. The first copy never leaves you.
What you need to provide
- The file (PDF, DOCX, TXT, or image scan).
- An operator: Replace (swap), Redact (remove), or Mask (partial).
- Optional: a name map to re-link cases later.
PHI entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | Omar Haddad → [PATIENT_1] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | Study 02/19/2026 → [DATE] |
| Record IDs | MEDICAL_RECORD_NUMBER | MRN 553901 → [MRN] |
| Order | ID | Accession R-44820 → [ACCESSION] |
| Contact | PHONE_NUMBER | (212) 555 0144 → [PHONE] |
| Location | LOCATION | 88 Birch Ave → [ADDRESS] |
Compliance achieved
- Strips all 18 ID classes for HIPAA Safe Harbor (45 CFR §164.514(b)).
- Runs offline, so the tool itself needs no BAA.
- Working files are kept safe with AES-256-GCM.
- Covers GDPR Art. 9 health data for EU patients too.
Anonymize radiology reads offline — see plans & start free →
Limitations & cautions
Safe Harbor also asks you to judge any rare free-text clue. The tool removes the 18 ID types. A rare finding plus a tiny town can still hint at a person. For that, use Expert Determination.
Frequently asked questions
Will the impression still make sense after the swap?
Yes. The Replace operator drops a steady label in place of each ID. The findings and the impression read as before and point to no real person.
Does this read the radiologist's signature block too?
Yes. Names, phone numbers, and dates in the footer are flagged like any other field. You decide whether to keep the reading doctor or hide them.
Can I process a scanned fax of the write-up?
Yes. Local OCR pulls the text from the scan first. Then the same flags apply, so a faxed page is handled like a born-digital one.