Interpretation of Emergency Department radiographs: a comparison of emergency medicine physicians with radiologists, residents with faculty, and film with digital display

The Competency of Emergency Medicine Residents in Interpreting Hand X-rays Across the Three Major Regions of Saudi Arabia

Background Interpreting hand X-rays is crucial for emergency medicine residents to accurately diagnose traumatic injuries and conditions affecting the hand. This study aimed to assess the competency of emergency medicine residents in interpreting hand X-rays across three major regions in Saudi Arabia. Methodology We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 100 emergency medicine residents from the Central, Eastern, and Western regions of Saudi Arabia. Participants were presented with 10 clinical case scenarios each accompanied by hand X-rays and were asked to provide their interpretations. Assessment scores were calculated based on the proportion of correct answers for each case. Results Half of the participants (50 residents) fell within the age range of 25 to 27 years, with 61 male and 39 female participants, respectively. Residents in the third year of training (R3) exhibited the highest mean score of 74.83% ± 20.46%. Participants using desktops to view the images achieved the highest mean score of 75% ± 10.49% compared to those using smartphones or tablets. Significant associations were found between age (F = 4.072, p = 0.020), training level (F = 3.161, p = 0.028), and choice of viewing device (F = 7.811, p = 0.001) and assessment scores. Conclusions Our study highlighted that emergency medicine residents in Saudi Arabia demonstrate competent proficiency in interpreting hand X-rays, with higher competency observed among senior residents (R3 and R4), those aged 28 to 30 years, and those using desktops for image viewing.

Influence of residency discipline and seniority on traumatic musculoskeletal radiographs interpretation accuracy: a multicenter study

OBJECTIVES

Imaging studies are a significant and integral part of the initial assessment of patients admitted to the emergency department. Developing imaging diagnostic abilities early in residency is of paramount importance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare diagnosis accuracy of common musculoskeletal X-rays (XR) between residency disciplines and seniority.

METHODS

A multicenter study which evaluated orthopedic surgery, emergency medicine (EM), and radiology residents, through a test set of common MSK XR. Residents were classified as "beginner" or "advanced" according to postgraduate year per residency. Residents were asked to answer whether the radiograph shows normal or pathological findings (success rate) and what is the diagnosis ("diagnosis accuracy"). Residents' answers were analyzed and assessed compared to experts' consensus.

RESULTS

A total of 100 residents (62% beginners) participated in this study. Fifty-four were orthopedic surgeons, 29 were EM residents and 17 were radiologists. The entire cohort's overall success rate was 88.5%. The overall mean success rates for orthopedic, EM, and radiology residents were 93.2%, 82.8%, and 83.3%, respectively, and were significantly different (p < 0.0001). Orthopedic residents had significantly higher diagnostic accuracy rates compared with both radiology and EM residents (p < 0.001). Advanced orthopedic and EM residents demonstrated higher diagnostic accuracy rates compared to beginner residents (p = 0.001 and p = 0.03, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Orthopedic residents presented higher diagnosis accuracy of MSK imaging compared to EM and radiology residents. Seniority had a positive effect on diagnosis accuracy. The development of an educational program on MSK XR is necessary to enhance the competency of physicians in their daily practice.

Commercially Available Chest Radiograph AI Tools for Detecting Airspace Disease, Pneumothorax, and Pleural Effusion

Background Commercially available artificial intelligence (AI) tools can assist radiologists in interpreting chest radiographs, but their real-life diagnostic accuracy remains unclear. Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of four commercially available AI tools for detection of airspace disease, pneumothorax, and pleural effusion on chest radiographs. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included consecutive adult patients who underwent chest radiography at one of four Danish hospitals in January 2020. Two thoracic radiologists (or three, in cases of disagreement) who had access to all previous and future imaging labeled chest radiographs independently for the reference standard. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. Sensitivity and specificity were additionally stratified according to the severity of findings, number of findings on chest radiographs, and radiographic projection. The χ2 and McNemar tests were used for comparisons. Results The data set comprised 2040 patients (median age, 72 years [IQR, 58-81 years]; 1033 female), of whom 669 (32.8%) had target findings. The AI tools demonstrated areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve ranging 0.83-0.88 for airspace disease, 0.89-0.97 for pneumothorax, and 0.94-0.97 for pleural effusion. Sensitivities ranged 72%-91% for airspace disease, 63%-90% for pneumothorax, and 62%-95% for pleural effusion. Negative predictive values ranged 92%-100% for all target findings. In airspace disease, pneumothorax, and pleural effusion, specificity was high for chest radiographs with normal or single findings (range, 85%-96%, 99%-100%, and 95%-100%, respectively) and markedly lower for chest radiographs with four or more findings (range, 27%-69%, 96%-99%, 65%-92%, respectively) (P < .001). AI sensitivity was lower for vague airspace disease (range, 33%-61%) and small pneumothorax or pleural effusion (range, 9%-94%) compared with larger findings (range, 81%-100%; P value range, > .99 to < .001). Conclusion Current-generation AI tools showed moderate to high sensitivity for detecting airspace disease, pneumothorax, and pleural effusion on chest radiographs. However, they produced more false-positive findings than radiology reports, and their performance decreased for smaller-sized target findings and when multiple findings were present. © RSNA, 2023 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Yanagawa and Tomiyama in this issue.

Assessing and comparing chest radiograph interpretation in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand medical school, according to seniority

Background

Chest radiographs are a common diagnostic tool in the internal medicine department, and correct interpretation is imperative for adequate patient management.

Objectives

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of common pathologies in South Africa that are evident on chest radiographs, and to determine whether there are discrepancies according to different levels of qualification of doctors rotating through the internal medicine department, and which factors contribute to an accurate diagnosis.

Methods

Fifteen chest radiographs with common pathologies were given to all doctors rotating through the Department of Internal Medicine at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, and they were asked to interpret them. Information pertaining to their experience, designation and confidence in chest radiograph interpretation was also obtained.

Results

Diagnostic accuracy according to years of experience was as follows: 0 - 5 years 27.0%, 6 - 10 years 43.0%, and >10 years 47.9%. For different designations, accuracy was as follows: consultants 50.5%, registrars 40.9%, medical officers 36.4%, and interns 19.5%. Participants who were confident obtained a mean score of 39.4% and those who were not, a mean score of 31.6%.

Conclusion

Chest radiographs are readily accessible and used daily in clinical practice in numerous facilities. An accurate diagnosis is important to provide quality healthcare. Improved training in interpretation for all, but especially for junior doctors, should be a priority in our training facilities.

Study synopsis

What the study adds. This study tested the diagnostic accuracy with regard to common pathologies present on chest X ray by doctors rotating through, or stationed at the internal medicine department at an academic hospital. Implications of the findings. Interpretation of chest X-rays was generally poor but the study did find that this improves with experience and confidence in diagnostic ability. These findings are significant in that they indicate a need to implement improved teaching programs in radiological interpretation, especially at an undergraduate level.

Effect of picture archiving and communication system on diagnosis accuracy in CT and radiography examinations in emergency departments

INTRODUCTION

Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) affects the radiologists' and physicians' performance. We aimed to evaluate the effect of implementing PACS on the emergency department (ED) physicians' accuracy compared to a radiologist's diagnosis in Iran.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected data for three six-month periods before and after the implementation of PACS on CT scan and radiography examinations. We compared ED physicians' diagnoses of CT scan and radiography images with a radiologist's interpretations for the same images. We compared 374 CT scans and 346 radiography examinations before implementing PACS (July 2015 to December 2015); 507 CT scans and 480 radiography examinations immediately after PACS (July 2016 to December 2016); and 870 CT scans and 1137 radiography examinations one year after PACS (July 2017 to December 2017).

RESULTS

We found that diagnosis accuracy of ED physicians on CT scans increased from 75.9 % before implementing PACS to 84.4 % immediately after PACS and 94.9 % one year after PACS (p-value < 0.0001). Diagnosis accuracy for radiography images increased from 63.0 % before implementing PACS to 80.2 % immediately after PACS and 93.1 % one year after PACS (p-value < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Implementation of PACS technology increases ED physicians' diagnosis accuracy.

Reducing diagnostic errors in the emergency department at the time of patient treatment

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the present study was to compare and combine the radiographic interpretation accuracy of emergency clinicians and radiographers in clinical practice.

METHODS

A total of 838 radiographic examinations were included for analysis from 1 August to 24 August 2020. The range of examinations reviewed included the appendicular and axial skeleton, chest and abdomen. Both paediatric and adult examinations were reviewed. The emergency clinician's and radiographer's interpretations for each examination were compared to the radiologist's report. This allowed mean sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy to be calculated.

RESULTS

The radiographer's interpretation demonstrated a mean sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 80%, 98% and 92%, respectively. The emergency clinician's interpretation demonstrated a mean sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 82%, 95% and 89%, respectively. When the radiographer's and emergency clinician's interpretations were combined, it yielded a mean sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 90%, 93% and 92%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to directly compare and combine the accuracy of an emergency clinician's radiographic interpretation with a radiographer's interpretation within clinical practice. The present study demonstrated that with the addition of a radiographer's interpretation, an emergency clinician's interpretation can be more accurate than the emergency clinician's interpretation in isolation. This highlights the value of a radiographer's interpretation that can complement an emergency clinician's interpretation when a radiologist's report is unavailable.

Association of Artificial Intelligence-Aided Chest Radiograph Interpretation With Reader Performance and Efficiency

IMPORTANCE

The efficient and accurate interpretation of radiologic images is paramount.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether a deep learning-based artificial intelligence (AI) engine used concurrently can improve reader performance and efficiency in interpreting chest radiograph abnormalities.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This multicenter cohort study was conducted from April to November 2021 and involved radiologists, including attending radiologists, thoracic radiology fellows, and residents, who independently participated in 2 observer performance test sessions. The sessions included a reading session with AI and a session without AI, in a randomized crossover manner with a 4-week washout period in between. The AI produced a heat map and the image-level probability of the presence of the referrable lesion. The data used were collected at 2 quaternary academic hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (The Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care Chest X-Ray [MIMIC-CXR]) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The ground truths for the labels were created via consensual reading by 2 thoracic radiologists. Each reader documented their findings in a customized report template, in which the 4 target chest radiograph findings and the reader confidence of the presence of each finding was recorded. The time taken for reporting each chest radiograph was also recorded. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) were calculated for each target finding.

RESULTS

A total of 6 radiologists (2 attending radiologists, 2 thoracic radiology fellows, and 2 residents) participated in the study. The study involved a total of 497 frontal chest radiographs-247 from the MIMIC-CXR data set (demographic data for patients were not available) and 250 chest radiographs from MGH (mean [SD] age, 63 [16] years; 133 men [53.2%])-from adult patients with and without 4 target findings (pneumonia, nodule, pneumothorax, and pleural effusion). The target findings were found in 351 of 497 chest radiographs. The AI was associated with higher sensitivity for all findings compared with the readers (nodule, 0.816 [95% CI, 0.732-0.882] vs 0.567 [95% CI, 0.524-0.611]; pneumonia, 0.887 [95% CI, 0.834-0.928] vs 0.673 [95% CI, 0.632-0.714]; pleural effusion, 0.872 [95% CI, 0.808-0.921] vs 0.889 [95% CI, 0.862-0.917]; pneumothorax, 0.988 [95% CI, 0.932-1.000] vs 0.792 [95% CI, 0.756-0.827]). AI-aided interpretation was associated with significantly improved reader sensitivities for all target findings, without negative impacts on the specificity. Overall, the AUROCs of readers improved for all 4 target findings, with significant improvements in detection of pneumothorax and nodule. The reporting time with AI was 10% lower than without AI (40.8 vs 36.9 seconds; difference, 3.9 seconds; 95% CI, 2.9-5.2 seconds; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

These findings suggest that AI-aided interpretation was associated with improved reader performance and efficiency for identifying major thoracic findings on a chest radiograph.

Pediatric Musculoskeletal Radiographs: Anatomy and Fractures Prone to Diagnostic Error Among Emergency Physicians

BACKGROUND

Pediatric musculoskeletal (pMSK) radiograph interpretations are common, but the specific radiograph features at risk of incorrect diagnosis are relatively unknown.

OBJECTIVE

We determined the radiograph factors that resulted in diagnostic interpretation challenges for emergency physicians (EPs) reviewing pMSK radiographs.

METHODS

EPs interpreted 1850 pMSK radiographs via a web-based platform and we derived interpretation difficulty scores for each radiograph in 13 body regions using one-parameter item response theory. We compared the difficulty scores by presence or absence of a fracture and, where applicable, by fracture location and morphology; significance was adjusted for multiple comparisons. An expert panel reviewed the 65 most commonly misdiagnosed fracture-negative radiographs to identify imaging features mistaken for fractures.

RESULTS

We included data from 244 EPs, which resulted in 185,653 unique interpretations. For elbow, forearm, wrist, femur, knee, and tibia-fibula radiographs, those without a fracture had higher interpretation difficulty scores relative to those with a fracture; the opposite was true for the hand, pelvis, foot, and ankle radiographs (p < 0.004 for all comparisons). The descriptive review demonstrated that specific normal anatomy, overlapping bones, and external artefact from muscle or skin folds were often mistaken for fractures. There was a significant difference in difficulty score by anatomic locations of the fracture in the elbow, pelvis, and ankle (p < 0.004 for all comparisons). Ankle and elbow growth plate, fibular avulsion, and humerus condylar fractures were more difficult to diagnose than other fracture patterns (p < 0.004 for all comparisons).

CONCLUSIONS

We identified actionable learning opportunities in pMSK radiograph interpretation for EPs.

Effect of deep learning-based assistive technology use on chest radiograph interpretation by emergency department physicians: a prospective interventional simulation-based study

BACKGROUND

Interpretation of chest radiographs (CRs) by emergency department (ED) physicians is inferior to that by radiologists. Recent studies have investigated the effect of deep learning-based assistive technology on CR interpretation (DLCR), although its relevance to ED physicians remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether DLCR supports CR interpretation and the clinical decision-making of ED physicians.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective interventional study using a web-based performance assessment system. Study participants were recruited through the official notice targeting board for certified emergency physicians and residents working at the present ED. Of the eight ED physicians who volunteered to participate in the study, seven ED physicians were included, while one participant declared withdrawal during performance assessment. Seven physicians' CR interpretations and clinical decision-making were assessed based on the clinical data from 388 patients, including detecting the target lesion with DLCR. Participant performance was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy analyses; decision-making consistency was measured by kappa statistics. ED physicians with < 24 months of experience were defined as 'inexperienced'.

RESULTS

Among the 388 simulated cases, 259 (66.8%) had CR abnormality. Their median value of abnormality score measured by DLCR was 59.3 (31.77, 76.25) compared to a score of 3.35 (1.57, 8.89) for cases of normal CR. There was a difference in performance between ED physicians working with and without DLCR (AUROC: 0.801, P < 0.001). The diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy of CR were higher for all ED physicians working with DLCR than for those working without it. The overall kappa value for decision-making consistency was 0.902 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.884-0.920); concurrently, the kappa value for the experienced group was 0.956 (95% CI 0.934-0.979), and that for the inexperienced group was 0.862 (95% CI 0.835-0.889).

CONCLUSIONS

This study presents preliminary evidence that ED physicians using DLCR in a clinical setting perform better at CR interpretation than their counterparts who do not use this technology. DLCR use influenced the clinical decision-making of inexperienced physicians more strongly than that of experienced physicians. These findings require prospective validation before DLCR can be recommended for use in routine clinical practice.

Developing a Training Web Application for Improving the COVID-19 Diagnostic Accuracy on Chest X-ray

In December 2019, a new coronavirus known as 2019-nCoV emerged in Wuhan, China. The virus has spread globally and the infection was declared pandemic in March 2020. Although most cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are mild, some of them rapidly develop acute respiratory distress syndrome. In the clinical management, chest X-rays (CXR) are essential, but the evaluation of COVID-19 CXR could be a challenge. In this context, we developed COVID-19 TRAINING, a free Web application for training on the evaluation of COVID-19 CXR. The application included 196 CXR belonging to three categories: non-pathological, pathological compatible with COVID-19, and pathological non-compatible with COVID-19. On the training screen, images were shown to the users and they chose a diagnosis among those three possibilities. At any time, users could finish the training session and be evaluated through the estimation of their diagnostic accuracy values: sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and global accuracy. Images were hand-labeled by four thoracic radiologists. Average values for sensitivity, specificity, and global accuracy were .72, .64, and .68. Users who achieved better sensitivity registered less specificity (p < .0001) and those with higher specificity decreased their sensitivity (p < .0001). Users who sent more answers achieved better accuracy (p = .0002). The application COVID-19 TRAINING provides a revolutionary tool to learn the necessary skills to evaluate COVID-19 on CXR. Diagnosis training applications could provide a new original manner of evaluation for medical professionals based on their diagnostic accuracy values, and an efficient method to collect valuable data for research purposes.

Clinical Validation of a Deep Learning Algorithm for Detection of Pneumonia on Chest Radiographs in Emergency Department Patients with Acute Febrile Respiratory Illness

Early identification of pneumonia is essential in patients with acute febrile respiratory illness (FRI). We evaluated the performance and added value of a commercial deep learning (DL) algorithm in detecting pneumonia on chest radiographs (CRs) of patients visiting the emergency department (ED) with acute FRI. This single-centre, retrospective study included 377 consecutive patients who visited the ED and the resulting 387 CRs in August 2018-January 2019. The performance of a DL algorithm in detection of pneumonia on CRs was evaluated based on area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) curves, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive values (NPVs), and positive predictive values (PPVs). Three ED physicians independently reviewed CRs with observer performance test to detect pneumonia, which was re-evaluated with the algorithm eight weeks later. AUROC, sensitivity, and specificity measurements were compared between "DL algorithm" vs. "physicians-only" and between "physicians-only" vs. "physicians aided with the algorithm". Among 377 patients, 83 (22.0%) had pneumonia. AUROC, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the algorithm for detection of pneumonia on CRs were 0.861, 58.3%, 94.4%, 74.2%, and 89.1%, respectively. For the detection of 'visible pneumonia on CR' (60 CRs from 59 patients), AUROC, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 0.940, 81.7%, 94.4%, 74.2%, and 96.3%, respectively. In the observer performance test, the algorithm performed better than the physicians for pneumonia (AUROC, 0.861 vs. 0.788, p = 0.017; specificity, 94.4% vs. 88.7%, p < 0.0001) and visible pneumonia (AUROC, 0.940 vs. 0.871, p = 0.007; sensitivity, 81.7% vs. 73.9%, p = 0.034; specificity, 94.4% vs. 88.7%, p < 0.0001). Detection of pneumonia (sensitivity, 82.2% vs. 53.2%, p = 0.008; specificity, 98.1% vs. 88.7%; p < 0.0001) and 'visible pneumonia' (sensitivity, 82.2% vs. 73.9%, p = 0.014; specificity, 98.1% vs. 88.7%, p < 0.0001) significantly improved when the algorithm was used by the physicians. Mean reading time for the physicians decreased from 165 to 101 min with the assistance of the algorithm. Thus, the DL algorithm showed a better diagnosis of pneumonia, particularly visible pneumonia on CR, and improved diagnosis by ED physicians in patients with acute FRI.

An Asynchronous Curriculum for Teaching Practical Interpretation Skills of Clinical Images to Residents in Emergency Medicine

BACKGROUND

Interpretation of radiologic images is a critical skill for resident physicians in emergency medicine (EM), however, few training programs offer formal training in this realm. Time and money also need to be considered when adding to the curriculum of trainees.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine the utilization and benefit of an asynchronous curriculum in the interpretation of diagnostic imaging.

METHODS

Radiologic images were obtained from emergency department patients and presented to the trainees on a weekly basis from April to December 2017; discussion questions regarding the images were posed, all via the online workplace platform Slack. Trainees were surveyed prior to and 8 months after initiation of the curriculum to ascertain their confidence with radiologic image interpretation and their use of Slack.

RESULTS

Of the 36 potential resident physician participants in this study, 31 (86%) completed the pre-intervention survey and 28 (78%) completed the post-intervention survey. The curriculum was found to be beneficial to all respondents (100%) and increased their confidence with image interpretation from 2.93 ± 0.89 pre-intervention (5-point Likert scale) to 3.46 ± 0.83 post-intervention (p < 0.02). Seventy-five percent noted that they viewed the material "often" or "anytime new material was posted."

CONCLUSIONS

Use of an asynchronous curriculum in image interpretation increased the confidence of trainees and was well-utilized. The implications of this are far-reaching, given that a similar intervention could be undertaken for any topic in any specialty in medicine, and with no cost of money or didactic time.

Adverse Events from Emergency Physician Pediatric Extremity Radiograph Interpretations: A Prospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

We determined how often emergency physician pediatric musculoskeletal (MSK) radiograph interpretations were discordant to that of a radiologist and led to an adverse event (AE). We also established the variables independently associated with this outcome.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study was conducted in an urban, tertiary care children's emergency department (ED). We enrolled children who presented to an ED with an extremity injury and received radiographs. ED physicians documented their radiograph interpretation, which was compared to a radiology reference standard. Patients received telephone follow-up and had institutional medical records reviewed in 3 weeks. An AE occurred if there were clinical sequelae and/or repeat health care visits due to a delay in correct radiograph interpretation.

RESULTS

We enrolled 2,302 children (mean [±SD] age = 9.0 [4.4] years; 1,288 (56.0%) male]. Of these, 180 (7.8%; 95% confidence interval = 6.8 to 9.0) ED physician discordant interpretations resulted in an AE. Specifically, there were no negative clinical outcomes; however, relative to cases diagnosed correctly at the index ED, patients whose fracture was not initially identified encountered 77.2% more subsequent ED visits, while those falsely diagnosed with a fracture experienced 41.5% additional orthopedic clinic visits. Odds of an ED discrepant interpretation was significantly higher if a physician's pretest probability of a fracture was ≤ 20% versus> 20% (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.6), patient's pain score was ≤ 2 versus> 2 (aOR = 1.6), and injury was located in a joint versus other location (aOR = 1.7).

CONCLUSIONS

Emergency physician discordant pediatric MSK radiograph interpretations that resulted in an AE occurred with regular frequency in a pediatric ED setting. AEs were primarily an increase in subsequent health care visits. Importantly, a low clinical suspicion for a fracture or injury located in the joint were risk factors for ED physician discordant interpretations.

Redundancy gain in visual search of simulated X-ray images

Cancer diagnosis frequently relies on the interpretation of medical images such as chest X-rays and mammography. This process is error prone; misdiagnoses can reach a rate of 15% or higher. Of particular interest are false negatives-tumors that are present but missed. Previous research has identified several perceptual and attentional problems underlying inaccurate perception of these images. But how might these problems be reduced? The psychological literature has shown that presenting multiple, duplicate images can improve performance. Here we explored whether redundant image presentation can improve target detection in simulated X-ray images, by presenting four identical or similar images concurrently. Displays with redundant images, including duplicates of the same image, showed reduced false-negative rates, compared with displays with a single image. This effect held both when the target's prevalence rate was high and when it was low. Eye tracking showed that fixating on two or more images in the redundant condition speeded target detection and prolonged search, and that the latter effect was the key to reducing false negatives. The redundancy gain may result from both perceptual enhancement and an increase in the search quitting threshold.

National Trends in the Utilization of Skeletal Radiography From 2003 to 2015

PURPOSE

Examine recent trends in the use of skeletal radiography and assess the roles of various nonradiologic specialties in the interpretations.

METHODS

Medicare Part B fee-for-service claims data files from 2003 to 2015 were analyzed for all Current Procedural Terminology, version 4 (CPT-4) procedure codes related to skeletal radiography. The files provide examination volume, and we calculated utilization rates per 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare's physician specialty codes were used to determine the specialties of the providers. Total utilization rate trends were analyzed, as well as those for radiologists and nonradiologists. We determined which nonradiologist specialties were the highest users of skeletal radiography. Medicare place-of-service codes were used to identify the locations where the services were provided.

RESULTS

The total utilization rate per 1,000 of skeletal radiography within the Medicare population increased 9.5% from 2003 to 2015. The utilization rate for radiologists increased 5.5% from 2003 to 2015 versus 11.1% for nonradiologists as a group. Among nonradiologist specialties in all health care settings over the study period, orthopedic surgeons increased 10.6%, chiropractors and podiatrists together increased 14.4%, nonphysician providers (primarily nurse practitioners and physician assistants) increased 441%, and primary care physicians' rate decreased 33.5%. Although radiologists do almost all skeletal radiography interpretation in hospital settings, nonradiologists do the majority in private offices. There has been strong growth in skeletal radiography in emergency departments, but a substantial drop in inpatient settings.

CONCLUSIONS

The utilization of skeletal radiography has increased more rapidly among nonradiologists than among radiologists. This raises concerns about self-referral and quality.

Added Value of Bone Subtraction in Dual-energy Digital Radiography in the Detection of Pneumothorax: Impact of Reader Expertise and Medical Specialty

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine the value of dual-energy thoracic radiography in the diagnosis of pneumothorax considering the reader's experience.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty patients with a suspected pneumothorax, imaged with dual-energy chest radiographs, were divided into two groups: those with pneumothorax as the final diagnosis (n = 19) and those without (n = 21). The images were analyzed by 36 readers (5 interns, 16 residents, 15 senior physicians) for the presence or absence of pneumothorax during three readout sessions at 2-week intervals: standard images alone (session 1), dual-energy images with bone subtraction alone (session 2), and a combination of the two (session 3).

RESULTS

The number of correct responses increased 13.3% between sessions 1 and 2 (P < .001) and 9.4% between sessions 1 and 3 (P < .001). The mean sensitivity for pneumothorax detection was higher in sessions 2 (82%) and 3 (79%) compared to session 1 (70%). There was no statistically significant difference in specificity between the sessions. The number of correct responses for small volume pneumothoraces was higher in sessions 2 (10.6 ± 1.8) and 3 (10.1 ± 2.0) than in session 1 (8.9 ± 2.3), with a statistically significant difference between sessions 1 and 2 (P = .002) and between sessions 1 and 3 (P = .048).

CONCLUSION

Bone subtracted dual-energy thoracic radiographs improve the detection sensitivity of pneumothorax, including in cases of small pneumothoraces, regardless of the reader's level or expertise.

Radiology education: a radiology curriculum for all medical students?

Diagnostic errors in radiology are frequent and can cause severe patient harm. Despite large performance differences between radiologists and non-radiology physicians, the latter often interpret medical images because electronic health records make images available throughout the hospital. Some people argue that non-radiologists should not diagnose medical images at all, and that medical school should focus on teaching ordering skills instead of image interpretation skills. We agree that teaching ordering skills is crucial as most physicians will need to order medical images in their professional life. However, we argue that the availability of medical images is so ubiquitous that it is important that non-radiologists are also trained in the basics of medical image interpretation and, additionally in recognizing when radiological consultancy should be sought. In acute situations, basic image interpretations skills can be life-saving. We plead for a radiology curriculum for all medical students. This should include the interpretation of common abnormalities on chest and skeletal radiographs and a basic distinction of normal from abnormal images. Furthermore, substantial attention should be given to the correct ordering of radiological images. Finally, it is critical that students are trained in deciding when to consult a radiologist.

Does periodic lung screening of films meets standards?

Objective:

To determine whether the workers’ periodic chest x-ray screening techniques in accordance with the quality standards is the responsibility of physicians. Evaluation of differences of interpretations by physicians in different levels of education and the importance of standardization of interpretation.

Methods:

Previously taken chest radiographs of 400 workers who are working in a factory producing the glass run channels were evaluated according to technical and quality standards by three observers (pulmonologist, radiologist, pulmonologist assistant). There was a perfect concordance between radiologist and pulmonologist for the underpenetrated films. Whereas there was perfect concordance between pulmonologist and pulmonologist assistant for over penetrated films.

Results:

Pulmonologist (52%) has interpreted the dose of the films as regular more than other observers (radiologist; 44.3%, pulmonologist assistant; 30.4%). The frequency of interpretation of the films as taken in inspiratory phase by the pulmonologist (81.7%) was less than other observers (radiologist; 92.1%, pulmonologist assistant; 92.6%). The rate of the pulmonologist (53.5%) was higher than the other observers (radiologist; 44.6%, pulmonologist assistant; 41.8%) for the assessment of the positioning of the patients as symmetrical. Pulmonologist assistant (15.3%) was the one who most commonly reported the parenchymal findings (radiologist; 2.2%, pulmonologist; 12.9%).

Conclusion:

It is necessary to reorganize the technical standards and exposure procedures for improving the quality of the chest radiographs. The reappraisal of all interpreters and continuous training of technicians is required.

Comparing posteroanterior with lateral and anteroposterior chest radiography in the initial detection of parapneumonic effusions

BACKGROUND

It is unclear whether anteroposterior (AP) or posteroanterior with lateral (PA/Lat) chest radiographs are superior in the early detection of clinically relevant parapneumonic effusions (CR-PPEs). The objective of this study was to identify which technique is preferred for detection of PPEs using chest computed tomography (CCT) as a reference standard.

METHODS

A secondary analysis of a pneumonia database was conducted to identify patients who received a CCT within 24 hours of presentation and also received AP or PA/Lat chest radiographs within 24 hours of CCT. Sensitivity and specificity were then calculated by comparing the radiographic diagnosis of PPEs of both types of radiographs compared with CCT by using the existing attending radiologist interpretation. Clinical relevance of effusions was determined by CCT effusion measurement of >2.5 cm or presence of loculation.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant difference between the sensitivity of AP (67.3%) and PA/Lat (83.9%) chest radiography for the initial detection of CR-PPE. Of 16 CR-PPEs initially missed by AP radiography, 7 either required drainage initially or developed empyema within 30 days, whereas no complicated PPE or empyema was found in those missed by PA/Lat radiography.

CONCLUSIONS

PA/Lat chest radiography should be the initial imaging of choice in pneumonia patients for detection of PPEs because it appears to be statistically superior to AP chest radiography.

Dynamic Patterns of Expertise: The Case of Orthopedic Medical Diagnosis

The aim of this study was to analyze dynamic patterns for scanning femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) radiographs in orthopedics, in order to better understand the nature of expertise in radiography. Seven orthopedics residents with at least two years of expertise and seven board-certified orthopedists participated in the study. The participants were asked to diagnose 15 anteroposterior (AP) pelvis radiographs of 15 surgical patients, diagnosed with FAI syndrome. Eye tracking data were recorded using the SMI desk-mounted tracker and were analyzed using advanced measures and methodologies, mainly recurrence quantification analysis. The expert orthopedists presented a less predictable pattern of scanning the radiographs although there was no difference between experts and non-experts in the deterministic nature of their scan path. In addition, the experts presented a higher percentage of correct areas of focus and more quickly made their first comparison between symmetric regions of the pelvis. We contribute to the understanding of experts’ process of diagnosis by showing that experts are qualitatively different from residents in their scanning patterns. The dynamic pattern of scanning that characterizes the experts was found to have a more complex and less predictable signature, meaning that experts’ scanning is simultaneously both structured (i.e. deterministic) and unpredictable.

Can emergency physicians reliably interpret cardiac CT images? A prospective observational study

OBJECTIVE

Cardiac computed tomography (CCT) is useful for evaluation of acute chest pain in the emergency department (ED). Though the test needs proper interpretation by someone with expertise in cardiovascular imaging, the critical nature of the information the test provides frequently lead emergency physicians (EPs) to act on their own interpretation. We performed this study to assess how often EPs' interpretations are in agreement with radiologists'.

METHODS

This study is a prospective observational study. The target population was patients assessed with CCT for acute chest pain or discomfort. EPs with at least one year CCT experience underwent a one-hour training session before study participation. The most significant lesion, if any, in each arterial segment was assessed for coronary stenosis and plaque calcification. The agreement between EPs' and radiologists' interpretation was assessed with Cohen's kappa and Gwet's AC1.

RESULTS

One hundred and three patients were enrolled and 412 segments were analyzed. Stenosis grading was identical in 363 segments (88.1%) and the interrater agreement was good (kappa=0.6439, AC1=0.8810). Similarly, the plaque calcification grading was identical in 354 segments (86.6%) and the kappa and AC1 values were 0.5660 and 0.8501, respectively. EPs classified 6 of the 17 arterial segments with significant stenosis reported by radiologists as non-significant stenosis (n=5) or clear (n=2), all of which were proved to be significant by following subsequent invasive coronary angiography.

CONCLUSION

There was substantial discordance of CCT interpretation between EPs and radiologists. For now, EPs need more education prior to independent CCT reading.

Comparing the interpretation of traumatic chest x-ray by emergency medicine specialists and radiologists

Background:

Discrepancy between X-ray readings of emergency physicians (EPs) versus radiologists was reported between 0.95% and 16.8% in different studies. The discordance was even higher when specific studies such as chest X-rays (CXR) were probed.

Objectives:

This prospective study was conducted to assess the discrepancies between emergency and radiology departments with respect to interpretation of the traumatic chest X-rays.

Patients and Methods:

This prospective study was conducted in Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from March to April 2014. Based on Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) guidelines, plain chest radiography (CXR) was ordered for all patients in two standard views of posterior-anterior and lateral. All CXRs were interpreted by a corresponding emergency medicine specialist and a radiologist blind to the clinical findings of the patients. Finally, the results of two interpretations were compared. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of traumatic CXR interpretation were calculated by EPs with 95% of confidence interval (CI).

Results:

The evaluation of EPs was identical to that of the radiologists in 89.5% of the cases. Ninety-eight percent (98%) indicated total agreement and 1.5 percent total disagreement.

Conclusions:

There is a high agreement between EPs and radiologists in CXR interpretations in Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital. Thus, EPs can substitute radiologists in the emergency department. More improvements are recommended to achieve the standard level of agreement.

X-ray image enhancement via determinant based feature selection

Previous work has investigated the feasibility of using Eigenimage-based enhancement tools to highlight abnormalities on chest X-rays (Butler et al in J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 52:244-253, 2008). While promising, this approach has been limited by computational restrictions of standard clinical workstations, and uncertainty regarding what constitutes an adequate sample size. This paper suggests an alternative mathematical model to the above referenced singular value decomposition method, which can significantly reduce both the required sample size and the time needed to perform analysis. Using this approach images can be efficiently separated into normal and abnormal parts, with the potential for rapid highlighting of pathology.

Interpretation of Computed Tomography of the Head: Emergency Physicians versus Radiologists

BACKGROUND

Many patients are brought to crowded emergency departments (ED) of hospitals every day for evaluation of head injuries, headaches, neurologic deficits etc. CT scan of the head is the most common diagnostic measure used to search for pathologies. In many EDs the initial interpretation of images are performed by emergency physicians (EP). Since most decisions are made based on the initial interpretation of the images by emergency physicians and not the radiologists, it is necessary to assess the accuracy of interpretations made by the former group.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to compare the findings reported in the interpretation of head CTs by emergency physicians and compare to radiologists (the gold standard).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a prospective cross sectional study conducted from March to May 2009 in a teaching hospital in Tehran, Iran. All non-contrast head CTs obtained during the study period were copied on DVDs and sent separately to a radiologist, 6 emergency medicine (EM) attending physicians and 14 senior EM residents for interpretation. Clinical information pertaining to each patient was also sent with each CT. The radiologist's interpretation was considered as the gold standard and reference for comparison. Data from EM physicians and residents were compared with the reference as well as with each other and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 18.5.

RESULTS

Out of 544 CT scans, EM physicians had 35 false negatives and 53 false positives compared with radiologist's interpretations (P < 0.0001). EM residents had 74 false negatives and 12 false positives compared with radiologist's interpretations (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Both EPs and ER residents either missed or falsely called a significant number of pathologies in their interpretations. The interpretations of EPs and ER residents were more sensitive and more specific, respectively. These findings revealed the need for increased training time in head CT reading for residents and the necessity of attending continuing medical education workshops for emergency physicians.

Clinical impact of diagnostic imaging discrepancy by radiology trainees in an urban teaching hospital emergency department

BACKGROUND

To characterize clinically significant diagnostic imaging (DI) discrepancies by radiology trainees and the impact on emergency department (ED) patients.

METHODS

Consecutive case series methodology over a 6-month period in an urban, tertiary care teaching hospital. Emergency physicians (EPs) were recruited to flag discrepant DI interpretations by radiology trainees that the EP deemed clinically significant. Cases were characterized using chart review and EP interview.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight discrepant reports were identified (representing 0.1% of 18,185 images interpreted). The mean time between provisional discrepant diagnosis (PDDx) and revised diagnosis (RDx) by attending radiology staff was 8.6 h (median 4.8 h, range 1.1-48.4), and 67.9% (n = 19) of the patients had left the ED by time of notification. The most frequently reported PDDx was CT abd/pelvis (32.1%, n = 9) and CT head (28.6%, n = 8). The impact of RDx was deemed major in 57.1% (n = 16) for reasons including altered admitting status (32.1%, n = 9), immediate subspecialty referral (n = 16, 57.1%), impact on management (25%, n = 7), and surgical management (21.4%, n = 6). EPs reported likely perceived impact of PDDx as resulting in increased pain (17. 9%, n = 5), morbidity (10.7%, n = 3), and prolonged hospitalization (25%, n = 7), but not altered long-term outcome or mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Relatively few clinically important discrepant reads were reported. Revised diagnosis (RDx) was associated with major clinical impact in 57.1% of reports, but few patients experienced increased morbidity, and none increased mortality. The importance of expedient communication of discrepant reports by staff radiologists is stressed, as is EP verification of patient contact information prior to discharge.

Turf issues in radiology and its subspecialties

Turf issues in medicine affect policy, practice, and, most importantly, patients. This article explores turf issues from several perspectives. The issue and scope of the problem is first discussed, followed by a brief history of turf delineation. Contributing and connected factors are considered, taking into account some consequences of turf battles and their impact on related topics. Finally, this article focuses on proposed strategies to successfully confront the questions, if not overcome the problems encountered. To better inform the deliberation and strengthen the credibility of any conclusions, the evidence and controversies must be regarded from beyond merely the radiology perspective.

MRI pyschophysics: an experimental framework relating image quality to diagnostic performance metrics

PURPOSE

To determine the minimal image quality needed to preserve diagnostic performance relative to arthroscopy in the knee.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Synthetic noise was added to images from clinical MRI scans (three-dimensional SPACE pulse sequence; Siemens) from five patients who had undergone knee MRI with arthroscopic follow-up, resulting in 25 simulated sets of images with standardized signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of 1, 2, 5, 10, or 20. All cases were scored by four musculoskeletal radiologists progressing from low to high SNR and grading all cartilage surfaces, major ligaments and menisci on a 5-point scale. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed for the detection of meniscal tears and cartilage abnormalities. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was determined for each structure at each SNR level. In addition, reader confidence was measured and pairwise comparisons across SNR levels were performed. Results were compared with arthroscopy as the reference standard.

RESULTS

ROC AUC was maximized for meniscal tears at SNR = 5 (structure specific CNR = 3.2) and for cartilage abnormalities at SNR = 10 (CNR = 4.2). Observer confidence was maximized for menisci at SNR = 5 (CNR = 8.0), for ligaments at SNR = 10 (CNR = 13.6) and cartilage at SNR = 10 (CNR = 8.2).

CONCLUSION

For 3D isotropic imaging in the knee, images with SNR < 10 or CNR < 10 should be rejected as nondiagnostic.

Revisiting signs, strengths and weaknesses of Standard Chest Radiography in patients of Acute Dyspnea in the Emergency Department

Dyspnoea, defined as an uncomfortable awareness of breathing, together with thoracic pain are two of the most frequent symptoms of presentation of thoracic diseases in the Emergency Department (ED). Causes of dyspnoea are various and involve not only cardiovascular and respiratory systems. In the emergency setting, thoracic imaging by standard chest X-ray (CXR) plays a crucial role in the diagnostic process, because it is of fast execution and relatively not expensive. Although radiologists are responsible for the final reading of chest radiographs, very often the clinicians, and in particular the emergency physicians, are alone in the emergency room facing this task. In literature many studies have demonstrated how important and essential is an accurate direct interpretation by the clinician without the need of an immediate reading by the radiologist. Moreover, the sensitivity of CXR is much impaired when the study is performed at bedside by portable machines, particularly in the diagnosis of some important causes of acute dyspnoea, such as pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax, and pulmonary edema. In these cases, a high inter-observer variability of bedside CXR reading limits the diagnostic usefulness of the methodology and complicates the differential diagnosis. The aim of this review is to analyze the radiologic signs and the correct use of CXR in the most important conditions that cause cardiac and pulmonary dyspnoea, as acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute pulmonary oedema, acute pulmonary trombo-embolism, pneumothorax and pleural effusion, and to focus indications and limitations of this diagnostic tool.

Comparison between different cost devices for digital capture of X-ray films: an image characteristics detection approach

A common teleradiology practice is digitizing films. The costs of specialized digitizers are very high, that is why there is a trend to use conventional scanners and digital cameras. Statistical clinical studies are required to determine the accuracy of these devices, which are very difficult to carry out. The purpose of this study was to compare three capture devices in terms of their capacity to detect several image characteristics. Spatial resolution, contrast, gray levels, and geometric deformation were compared for a specialized digitizer ICR (US$ 15,000), a conventional scanner UMAX (US$ 1,800), and a digital camera LUMIX (US$ 450, but require an additional support system and a light box for about US$ 400). Test patterns printed in films were used. The results detected gray levels lower than real values for all three devices; acceptable contrast and low geometric deformation with three devices. All three devices are appropriate solutions, but a digital camera requires more operator training and more settings.

A study to determine the added value of 740 screening panoramic radiographs compared to intraoral radiography in the management of adult (>18 years) dentate patients in a primary care setting

OBJECTIVES

To measure the added value of panoramic radiography in new dentate patients attending for routine treatment.

METHODS

Thirty-seven general dental practitioners using panoramic radiographs routinely were recruited. Twenty dentate patients were identified prospectively by each participating dentist if they were new to the practice, attending for an examination and requesting any treatment deemed necessary. A panoramic radiograph was taken with appropriate intraoral radiographs in line with national guidelines. Each dentist completed a radiological report for the panoramic radiograph only and these 20 reports were forwarded to the researchers along with the 20 panoramic radiographs, their accompanying bitewing and periapical radiographs and twenty completed clinical assessment sheets.

RESULTS

740 panoramic, 1418 bitewing and 325 periapical radiographs were assessed by the researchers. Only 32 panoramic films provided any additional diagnostic value when compared to intraoral films when guidelines had been observed resulting from the poor technical and processing quality of the accompanying intraoral films. Assessment of the number of caries and periapical lesions and the degree of periodontal bone loss from the intraoral films provided a greater diagnostic yield at the p<0.001 level of significance. The research found that dentists underestimated the number of caries lesions present and level of periodontal bone loss when compared to the researchers but overestimated the presence of periapical pathology, at the level of significance at p<0.001.

CONCLUSIONS

The study found that there was no support for the use of panoramic radiographs in routine screening as there was no net diagnostic benefit to the patient.

Quality control in neuroradiology: discrepancies in image interpretation among academic neuroradiologists

Prior studies have found a 3%-6% clinically significant error rate in radiology practice. We set out to assess discrepancy rates between subspecialty-trained university-based neuroradiologists. Over 17 months, university neuroradiologists randomly reviewed 1000 studies and reports of previously read examinations of patients in whom follow-up studies were read. The discrepancies between the original and "second opinion" reports were scored according to a 5-point scale: 1, no change; 2, clinically insignificant detection discrepancy; 3, clinically insignificant interpretation discrepancy; 4, clinically significant detection discrepancy; and 5, clinically significant interpretation discrepancy. Of the 1000 studies, 876 (87.6%) showed agreements with the original report. The neuroradiology division had a 2.0% (20/1000; 95% CI, 1.1%-2.9%) rate of clinically significant discrepancies involving 8 CTs and 12 MR images. Discrepancies were classified as vascular (n = 7), neoplastic (n = 9), congenital (n = 2), and artifacts (n = 2). Individual neuroradiologist's scores ranged from 0% to 7.7% ± 2.3% (n = 18). Both CT and MR imaging studies had a discrepancy rate of 2.0%. Our quality assessment study could serve as initial data before intervention as part of a PQI project.

Expert interpretation compensates for reduced image quality of camera-digitized images referred to radiologists

We compared the accuracy of five veterinary radiologists when reading 20 radiographic cases on both analog film and in camera-digitized format. In addition, we compared the ability of five veterinary radiologists vs. 10 private practice veterinarians to interpret the analog images. Interpretation accuracy was compared using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Veterinary radiologists' accuracy did not significantly differ between analog vs. camera-digitized images (P = 0.13) although sensitivity was higher for analog images. Radiologists' interpretation of both digital and analog images was significantly better compared with the private veterinarians (P < 0.05).

Comparison between differently priced devices for digital capture of X-ray films using computed tomography as a gold standard: a multireader-multicase receiver operating characteristic curve study

OBJECTIVE

Film digitizers are a specialized technology that is available for scanning X-ray radiographs; however, their cost makes them unaffordable for developing countries. Thus, less expensive alternatives are used. The purpose of this study was to compare three devices for digital capture of X-ray films: a film digitizer (US $15,000), a flatbed scanner (US $1800), and a 10-megapixel digital camera (US $450), in terms of diagnostic accuracy, defined as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves and computed tomography as the gold standard.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The sample included 136 chest X-ray cases with computed tomography confirmation of the presence or absence of pneumothorax, interstitial opacities, or nodules. The readers were six radiologists who made observations of eight variables for each digital capture of the X-ray films: three main variables to determine the accuracy in the detection of the above-mentioned pathologies, four secondary variables to categorize other pathological classifications, and one variable regarding digital image quality.

RESULTS

The receiver operating characteristic curves for each device and pathology were very similar. For the main variables, there was no significant statistical difference in diagnostic accuracy between the devices. For the secondary variables, >84% of cases were correctly classified, even those that were classified with the lowest image quality. High accuracy was determined for the three main variables (0.75 to 0.96), indicating good performance for all tested devices, despite their very different prices.

CONCLUSIONS

Choosing a device for a teleradiology service should involve additional factors, such as capture time, maintenance concerns, and training requirements.

[Competence of senior medical students in diagnosing tuberculosis based on chest X-rays]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the competence of senior medical students in diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) based on their reading of chest X-rays, as well as to identify the factors associated with high scores for the overall interpretation of chest X-rays.

METHODS

In October 2008, a convenience sample of senior medical students who had undergone formal training in radiology at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro School of Medicine, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were invited to participate in the study. Six chest X-rays (three of TB patients and three of patients without TB) were selected. Participants were asked to choose one of the three probable radiological interpretations, and one of the four subsequent suitable clinical approaches. They also completed a questionnaire designed to collect data related to demographics, career of interest, time spent in emergency rooms and year of study. The sensitivity and specificity related to competence in the radiological diagnosis of TB, as well as a score for the overall interpretation of chest X-rays, were calculated.

RESULTS

The sensitivity of the probable radiological diagnosis of pulmonary TB, based on the three chest X-rays of patients with TB (minimal, moderate and extensive) was 86.5%, 90.4% and 94.2%, respectively, and the specificity was 90%, 82% and 42%. The only factor associated with a high score for the overall radiological interpretation was the year of study.

CONCLUSIONS

In this sample of medical students, who had received formal training in radiology early in their medical school course, the competence in interpreting the chest X-rays of TB patients was good. The year of study seems to influence overall chest X-ray reading skill.

Does PACS improve diagnostic accuracy in chest radiograph interpretations in clinical practice?

OBJECTIVES

To assess the impact of a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) on the diagnostic accuracy of the interpretation of chest radiology examinations in a "real life" radiology setting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

During a period before PACS was introduced to radiologists, when images were still interpreted on film and reported on paper, images and reports were also digitally stored in an image database. The same database was used after the PACS introduction. This provided a unique opportunity to conduct a blinded retrospective study, comparing sensitivity (the main outcome parameter) in the pre and post-PACS periods. We selected 56 digitally stored chest radiograph examinations that were originally read and reported on film, and 66 examinations that were read and reported on screen 2 years after the PACS introduction. Each examination was assigned a random number, and both reports and images were scored independently for pathological findings. The blinded retrospective score for the original reports were then compared with the score for the images (the gold standard).

RESULTS

Sensitivity was improved after the PACS introduction. When both certain and uncertain findings were included, this improvement was statistically significant. There were no other statistically significant changes.

CONCLUSION

The result is consistent with prospective studies concluding that diagnostic accuracy is at least not reduced after PACS introduction. The sensitivity may even be improved.

Discordance in interpretation of chest radiographs between pediatric intensivists and a radiologist: impact on patient management

PURPOSE

When radiologists are not available, chest radiographs (CXRs) of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients are commonly interpreted by pediatric intensivists. We prospectively investigated the frequency of errors in CXR interpretation by pediatric intensivists and their impact on patient management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Chest radiographs of PICU patients were evaluated by 5 pediatric intensivists then by a pediatric radiologist (the "gold standard"). If the interpretation of the radiologist and intensivist differed, an independent intensivist determined whether a management change took place. A pediatric pulmonologist determined how many intensivist interpretations were different from the radiologist's interpretations.

RESULTS

Seven hundred twenty-eight radiographic findings were identified by the radiologist in 460 CXRs. There were 33 interpretation errors by the intensivists (4.5% of the findings in 7.1% of the CXRs). Only 3/33 error corrections (0.45% of the findings in 0.7% of the CXRs) resulted in change in patient management.

CONCLUSIONS

Errors in interpretation of CXRs by pediatric intensivists were common but less than that in other series, probably because of education of the pediatric intensivists through daily rounds with the radiologist. Although interpretation errors that affected patient management were rare, their clinical importance supports the growing practice of 24/7 remote radiograph reading by radiologists.