The alternative to the collaborative model of interaction is the service model. The collaborative model is normally preferred, but the service model may be appropriate when:
- The project is multidisciplinary, as opposed to interdisciplinary, i.e. imaging is a secondary component and not an ultimate focus of the research program
- if the questions are already well-operationalized,
- if the project already has competent imaging consultation from another source (e.g. multicenter projects).