Emergency medicine residents can assess cranial computed tomography scans consistently with radiologists

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine competence of emergency medicine residents in the assessment of cranial computed tomography (CT) scans and to evaluate the level of consistency with radiologists. A total of 525 cases were included in the study. Cranial CT scans obtained from patients who presented to Dr Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Education and Research Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine, between January 1 st and July 1 st 2012, were assessed by an emergency medicine resident who ordered the scan after physical examination and by a radiologist within 2 days after CT order. CT scans were interpreted within 2 days using the Picture Archiving and Communication System by two different radiologists with emergency medicine experience. Radiologists were blinded to the assessment of the emergency medicine resident and the other radiologist. The noncoincidental consistency was 82.3% between cranial CT scan interpretations by radiologists and emergency medicine residents. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of statistical accuracy between interpretations by emergency medicine residents and radiologists were 92.55%, 94.9%, 79.81%, and 98.32%, respectively. Emergency medicine residents can assess cranial CT scans consistently with radiologists.