Updated January 2nd, 2026

As a radiologist working in a hospital or in teleradiology, the center of your desk is your radiology keyboard. You need it for typing and correcting reports, for controlling your PACS and RIS and for several hotkeys such as different window settings for different studies. Text can be typed with any keyboard but there are several features to be considered for the best keyboard for radiology purposes. In this article, we will discuss the most important aspects of a radiologists keyboard and present our choices for the best keyboard for radiologists and teleradiology.

Other radiology gear:

• Radiology laptops
• Best Lead glasses
• Radiologists computer mouse
• Dictation microphones

The Best Keyboard for Radiologists – The Top 7

What are the Key Features of the Best Keyboard for Radiologists and Teleradiology

The keyboard is the centerpiece of any radiologist’s workstation, located directly in front of the radiologists diagnostic monitor. In addition to the computer mouse, the keyboard is the most important tool to control your radiology workstation. It is known that radiologists have very high technical demands on their gear. A good radiology keyboard cannot only facilitate your workflow but it can also speed up your reading and report-writing process and even be be good for your posture and health. If you’re as tech-savvy as I am, you might want to know which important technical aspects need to be considered before buying a radiology keyboard. The key features of the best keyboard for radiologists are:

1. Programmable keys
2. Backlight
3. Ergonomic design
4. Quiet keys
5. Connectivity
6. Durability
7. Easy to clean

In this section, we will have a detailed look at each of these key features for the best keyboard for radiologists.

1. Programmable keys

If you can program some keys on your keyboard, you can significantly facilitate any radiological workflow. Especially when reading CT images, a radiologist needs specific window options to change between lung, bone or soft-tissue windows.

Additionally, keys can be programmed with individual hanging protocols for different types of studies or even standard reports or templates for structured reporting. Thus, combining these possibilities can significantly speed up radiological reading or your teleradiology workflow. And if your keyboard does not have enough programmable keys, you can still expand your workstation with a radiological keypad.

2. Backlight

The typical radiology or teleradiology reading environment is a dimly lit room to allow for high contrast images being optimally viewed on the radiologists monitor. Therefore, a radiological keyboard with backlit keys can be very helpful to ensure hitting the right keys.

Ideally, the backlight on your radiology keyboard is also dimmable or comes with different intensity settings. Finally, some more advanced keyboards even come with intelligent backlighting that adjusts depending on your hand movement or environmental lightning conditions.

3. Ergonomic design

Depending on your routine, you may spend several long hours reading images and writing reports. Having an ergonomic keyboard can help to reduce the risk of damage to your posture and wrists, such as repetitive strain injury.

As there are options for your mouse, such as vertical ones, there are also ergonomic options for your keyboard, such as adjustable angles or even split keyboards. Ultimately, this is a very personal choice and might require testing different models until you find the perfect one for you.

4. Quiet keys

If you are working in a room with other radiologists, this may be more important than if you work alone on your teleradiology workstation. However, some mechanical keyboards can be noisy and thus can be distracting.

Having a radiology keyboard with smooth and quiet keys can be a great option or necessity if you want to avoid distractions or disruptions during your reading. However, there are also people, that like the mechanical sound of a keyboard and the feeling of a direct tactile response. Therefore, this article provides several options for the best quiet and also classical radiology keyboards.

5. Connectivity

Although most keyboards are wired, there are an increasing number of wireless options. You know what your desk looks like. There is your mouse, a dictation microphone, your phone, and maybe some paper for quick notes. In other words, having an additional cable might not be the best option. Furthermore, you might also want to stay flexible or combine your keyboard with a mobile teleradiology workstation. Having a wireless keyboard may be the best option for you, if you need to stay flexible.

6. Durability

Most professional keyboards are advertised as being very durable, able to withstand several million keystrokes without loss of quality. If you use a speech recognition microphone most of the time, you will spare your keyboards keys.

However, if you are looking for a budget radiology keyboard, make sure that the quality of the keys is up to par. Otherwise, you may find yourself with malfunctioning keys.

7. Easy to clean

When you bring your personal keyboard into a hospital, you want to make sure that you do not bring any unwanted guests back home. For instance, the gapes between keys are ideal areas for germs that can be difficult to reach with a desinfection wipe.

In this case, there an easy-to-clean radiology keyboard might be a good option for you. These often have a flatter surface without gaps to be easily desinfected and cleaned.

The Best Keyboard for Radiologists – Going Into the Details

Pros:

• Mechanical Cherry MX Brown switches for tactile feel and quiet operations
• Durable laser-etched keycaps
• Built-in USB hub
• Quick access media keys
• Sleep function to save energy

Cons:

• No backlights
• Only F1-F12 as programmable keys
• No wrist rest
• No wireless option

Pros:

• Compact minimalistic design
• Intelligent illuminated keys that automatically adjust to lightning conditions
• Wireless (Bluetooth) and USB-C connectivity
• Cross-platform compatibility

Cons:

• No numeric keypad
• Slightly smaller keys
• No adjustable tilt

Pros:

• Noise reduced mechanical swithces with satisfying tactile experience
• Intelligent illuminated keys that automatically adjust to lightning conditions
• Both Bluetooth (wireless) and USB-C connectivity

Cons:

• More expensive
• More difficult to clean (desinfect)

Pros:

• Ergonomic design: 0-30° horizontal and vertical adjustment to straighten wrists for a more natural position
• Soft key touch with low activation force

Cons:

• Non-standard layout
• No numeric keypad
• No backlighting

Pros:

• Medical grade: Meets medical industry standards for hygiene and durability
• Compact design
• Easy to clean
• Quiet and responsive keys

Cons:

• No backlighting
• Wired

Pros:

• High-quality mechanical switches that are linear and silent
• Programmable command dial
• 8 programmable dedicated macro keys, 4 media keys
• Chroma RGB for adjustable lightening
• Ergonomic wrist rest

Cons:

• Bulky design
• Wired connectivity
• Gaming-focused design
• More expensive

Pros:

• Very good price-performance ratio
• Cherry scissors mechanism for stable and precise typing
• Lightweight and compact

Cons:

• No backlight
• Wired
• Non-programmable keys, but media keys
• No wrist rest

What Is the Best Radiology Keyboard?

Now which is the best keyboard for radiologists? This question cannot be answered for everyone, but requires a more individualistic approach. Every radiologist has specific needs. For some, a durable, high-quality keyboard is sufficient, while others look for programmable keys and macros.

Maybe you also want to write a blog post now and then or you need to write scientific manuscripts?

Personally, I love my adjustable backlight and the ability to program some keys. However, you may and will have your own preferences. Therefore, this article will provide information on different radiology keyboards that can satisfy each individual’s needs and hopefully help you to make an informed decision.

Happy reporting!

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