Objective To investigate whether problem-based learning (PBL) is suitable for medical imaging and whether PBL is more enlightening than lecture-based learning (LBL) mode in teaching of medical imaging.Methods Thirty-two students of clinical medicine specialty in Sun Yat-sen University were selected as teaching objects and were divided into 6 groups (5 students in four groups and 6students in 2 groups).Chapters of urinary and digestive system were taught by PBL mode while the rest chapters by LBL mode.Questionnaires were handed out to teachers and students by Email after class and the valid questionnaires were analyzed qualitatively.Results Thirty-one students and 5 teachers thought they were suitable for PBL teaching; 30 students and 5 teachers were willing to continue PBL.Thirty-one students and 5 teachers thought that PBL mode could let students learn more knowledge and was more revealing.Twenty-three students thought PBL teaching spent too much time can not promote in all chapters.Three teachers worried that PBL mode would cause poor organization form and teaching plans.Conclusions PBL is suitable for medical imaging teaching.PBL could let students learn more knowledge and is more revealing compared with LBL,however,PBL is time-consuming and laborious,therefore LBL and PBL should be combined.