Impact of Personality and Experiences of Interventional Radiologists in Outcome of CT-Guided Percutaneous Lung Biopsies

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate how personality traits and professional experience of interventional radiologists affect outcome and complications in computed-tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) of pulmonary nodules. Materials and Methods: A retrospective database search retrieved 1,056 PTNBs carried out by 38 interventional radiologists from 2006 through 2014, and 445 interventions performed by 14 radiologists were included in the study (exclusion criteria: lack of consent by radiologist, less than 20 PTNBs performed by the radiologist, and PTNB with incomplete data). Interventions were evaluated with regard to the occurrence of complications, technical success, and intervention-related predictors. Personality traits of interventionalists were assessed using the NEO-FFI-30 (questionnaire measuring the “Big Five”) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Outcome of PTNB was adjusted for intervention-related predictors and matched with factors describing the personality and experience of each of the 14 radiologists. Results: There were no significant differences among the 14 radiologists in terms of technical success (range: 75.0-95.5%, P=0.406) and overall complication rate (range: 44.7-85.7%, P=0.088) or major (range: 15.6- J Radiol Clin Imaging 2019; 2 (3): 034-044 DOI: 10.26502/jrci.2809012 Journal of Radiology and Clinical Imaging 35 40.9%, P=0.679) and minor complications (range: 31.6-71.4%, P=0.074). Personality traits had no effect on technical success and complication rates, and there was likewise no effect of years of practical experience on technical success (P=0.254) or complications (P=0.470). Conclusion: Personality traits and practical experience of the interventional radiologist have no impact on the technical success or complication rate of PTNB.