Radiographer-acquired and radiologist-reviewed ultrasound examination--agreement with radiologist's bedside evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Growing demand for ultrasound examinations and higher quality requirements motivate searching for routines combining the diagnostic accuracy of radiologist-performed examinations with the economical advantages of sonographer-performed examinations. One possible approach is to use strictly standardized acquisition and documentation schemes that give the radiologist access to all relevant information after the examination.
PURPOSE: To compare a recently introduced routine, combining acquisition by a radiographer, documentation as standardized cine-loops, and review by a radiologist ('standardized method'), with the formerly used routine where the diagnosis is made bedside by the radiologist ('traditional method').
MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 64 policlinic patients, the kidneys (n=27) or the gallbladder (n=37) were examined with both the standardized and the traditional method. The radiologists' findings of hydronephrosis, tumors, cysts, echogenicity changes, and cortical thickness (in the kidneys), and wall thickness, concrements, and polyps (in the gallbladder) were compared between the methods with respect to agreement (proportion of agreement and kappa coefficient) as well as systematic differences (McNemar's test).
RESULTS: The findings at the gallbladder examination showed a median agreement of 97% (86-100%; kappa=0.64-1.00), and those at the kidney examination, an agreement of 90% (78-100%; kappa=0.69-1.00). There were no significant systematic differences between the methods.
CONCLUSION: The satisfactory agreement in this preliminary study indicates that the new workflow with ultrasound examinations performed by a radiographer and analyzed off-line by a radiologist is promising, and motivates further studies.