FRCR 2B long cases - format, marking and how to prepare
Last updated: 25 June 2026
FRCR 2B long case reporting is 6 cases in 75 minutes, marked out of 30 (up to five marks each, no half marks), double-marked and averaged. Each case is scored on detection of findings, diagnosis and differentials, safe management, and a clear, structured report - not on the headline diagnosis alone.
Where rapid reporting rewards speed, long cases reward depth and completeness: a full, safe report that reads well under time pressure. This guide sets out the current format, what the examiners actually score, where marks are lost, and how to prepare.
FRCR 2B long cases at a glance
- 6 cases in 75 minutes - reported in depth.
- Marked out of 30 - up to 5 marks per case, no half marks.
- Double-marked and averaged by two examiners.
- Scored on detection, diagnosis, management and report clarity.
- A top mark needs a complete, safe, clearly written report - not just the diagnosis.
What are FRCR 2B long cases?
Long case reporting is one of the two reporting components of the FRCR Part 2B. You report a small set of cases in full, in your own words, producing the kind of report you would issue in practice. The cases are richer than the rapid-reporting films, so the task is not just to spot the finding but to work it up properly: describe it, give a diagnosis and sensible differentials, and set out safe management.
It rewards the radiologist who can produce a complete, safe, well-organised report - and do it inside 75 minutes for six cases.
FRCR 2B long cases format
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cases | 6 cases, reported in depth |
| Time | 75 minutes (about 12-13 minutes per case) |
| Marks | Up to 5 per case, 30 total, no half marks |
| Marking | Two examiners, averaged; a difference of two or more is flagged for review |
| Scored on | Detection, diagnosis and differentials, safe management, report clarity |
| Pass mark | Standardised for each sitting - no fixed percentage |
Always confirm the current timing and arrangements on the RCR website, as exam logistics can change between sittings.
How FRCR 2B long cases are marked: the score descriptors
Each case is scored from 0 to 5 against a set of descriptors. The marks climb as the report does more of the job:
- Detection - finding the major abnormalities and most of the minor ones.
- Diagnosis - an accurate diagnosis with sensible, relevant differentials.
- Management and safety - safe next steps and appropriate referrals.
- Report quality - clear, logical and concise.
- Beyond the core - the top marks reward knowledge above the basic curriculum.
A 5 detects all major findings and most minor ones, reaches the right diagnosis with safe management, and reads as a clear, logical, concise report. The lesson is the same as the rest of the 2B: the diagnosis is necessary but not sufficient - the marks are in the full, safe report.
Long cases vs rapid reporting
The two reporting components test different skills, and candidates often prepare for one and neglect the other.
| Rapid (short) reporting | Long cases | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 25 abnormal films | 6 cases |
| Time | About 2 hours | 75 minutes |
| Marks | 125 (5 each) | 30 (5 each) |
| Rewards | Speed and accurate spotting | Depth and a full, safe report |
See also: how FRCR 2B rapid reporting works.
Why candidates lose marks in long cases
- Missing the minor findings while getting the headline diagnosis.
- Giving the diagnosis but no - or unsafe - management and referral.
- A disorganised report that buries the important finding.
- Running out of time and leaving a case unfinished.
- Listing differentials with no reasoning, or none at all.
As with the rest of the 2B, the marks lost are rarely about rare diagnoses - they are about an incomplete or unsafe report on a case you understood.
How to prepare for FRCR 2B long cases
Long cases reward a repeatable report structure you can run under time pressure:
- Use one report template - findings, then diagnosis and differentials, then management, then a clear summary - every time.
- Practise full reports against the clock - around 12 minutes per case, finishing all six.
- Always state safe management - the next step, the urgency, and who to refer to.
- Check for the minor findings - a second look earns the marks the headline diagnosis does not.
- Be concise - a clear, logical report scores higher than a long, rambling one.
Reporting is two of the three 2B components. See also how the 2B viva is marked.
FRCR 2B long cases: quick answers
- How many long cases are there, and how long is the session?
- Six cases in 75 minutes - fewer cases than rapid reporting, reported in more depth.
- How are long cases marked?
- Out of 30 - up to five marks per case across six cases, no half marks, double-marked and averaged, scored on detection, diagnosis, safe management and report clarity.
- How do they differ from rapid reporting?
- Rapid reporting is 25 abnormal films at pace (out of 125); long cases are 6 cases in 75 minutes (out of 30) and reward a full, safe, well-structured report rather than speed.
- What does a top-scoring report look like?
- All major findings and most minor ones, an accurate diagnosis with sensible differentials and safe management, written clearly, logically and concisely.
- Can you prepare from outside the UK?
- Yes. Practise full structured reports against the clock and learn safe management against UK pathways (NICE, RCR, NHS).
Write the full, safe report.
Tungsten People builds the report structure long cases reward - findings, diagnosis, safe management, clear summary - drilled on real cases against the clock, on your own schedule and in any timezone. You stop losing marks on cases you already understood.
See FRCR 2B prepSources
Marking and descriptors: RCR - FRCR Part 2B scoring system. Exam structure and 2025 changes: RCR - FRCR Part 2B (Radiology). Always confirm the current format, timing and pass standard on the RCR website.