Accuracy of reporting of intravenous urograms: a comparison of radiographers with radiology specialist registrars.
AIM: To evaluate whether uroradiographers trained to do so can interpret intravenous urograms as accurately as radiology specialist registrars (SpRs). METHODS: A total of 150 consecutive IVU examinations were prospectively assessed. The preliminary reporter (a uroradiographer, or an SpR in years 1 to 4) wrote a provisional report on each, and all the IVUs were subsequently assessed by an experienced uroradiologist blinded to the provisional report. The uroradiologist's report was taken as the standard. Comparisons between the provisional reports and the standard were made by Pearson chi-squared test (chi(2)). RESULTS: Data were available for 149 IVUs. In comparison with the standard report, 1st year SpRs interpreted the IVU series with an accuracy of 76%; the combined group of 2nd, 3rd and 4th year SpRs achieved an accuracy of 88%, whereas the uroradiographers demonstrated an accuracy of 92%. Overall, the difference was to be statistically significant (p=0.021), with a linear trend for increased accuracy with increased experience being highly significant (p=0.006). CONCLUSION: The uroradiographers significantly outperformed all the SpRs from years 1 to 4, achieving 92% accuracy in interpretation compared with an experienced consultant uroradiologist.