Radiologist-patient consultation of imaging findings after neck ultrasonography: An opportunity to practice value-based radiology

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate how patients experience a radiologist-patient consultation of imaging findings directly after neck ultrasonography (US), and how much time this consumes. Materials and methodsThis prospective randomized study included 109 consecutive patients who underwent neck US, of whom 44 had a radiologist-patient consultation of US results directly after the examination, and 65 who had not. ResultsThe median ratings of all healthcare quality metrics (friendliness of the radiologist, explanation of the radiologist, skill of the radiologist, radiologist's concern for comfort during the examination, radiologist's concern for patient questions/worries, overall rating of the examination, and likelihood of recommending the examination) were either good/high or very good/very high, without any significant differences between both patient groups. Patients who did not discuss the US results with the radiologist, were significantly more worried during the examination (P = 0.040) and had significantly higher anxiety levels after completion of the US examination (P = 0.027) than patients who discussed the US results with the radiologist. Fifty-one out of 55 responding patients (92.7%) indicated a radiologist-patient consultation of US results to be important. The median duration of US examinations that included a radiologist-patient consultation of US results was 7.57 min (range: 5.15–12.10 min), while the median duration of US examinations without a radiologist-patient consultation of US results was 7.34 min (range: 3.45–14.32 min), without any significant difference (P = 0.637). ConclusionA radiologist-patient consultation of imaging findings after neck US decreases patient anxiety, is desired by most patients, and does not significantly prolong total examination time.