Interpretation Of Computed Tomography Scans Research Articles

Preventable diagnostic errors of lower gastrointestinal perforation: a secondary analysis of a large-scale multicenter retrospective study

BackgroundLower gastrointestinal perforation (LGP) is an acute abdominal condition associated with a high mortality rate. Timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial. Nevertheless, a diagnostic delay has been estimated to occur in approximately one-third of the cases, and the factors contributing to this delay are yet to be clearly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic process for appropriate clinical reasoning and availability of image interpretation in cases of delayed diagnosis of LGP.MethodsA secondary data analysis of a large multicenter retrospective study was conducted. This descriptive study analyzed data from a multicenter, observational study conducted across nine hospitals in Japan from January 2015 to December 2019. Out of 439 LGP cases, we included 138 cases of delayed diagnosis, excluding patients with traumatic or iatrogenic perforations, or those secondary to mesenteric ischemia, appendicitis, or diverticulitis. Clinical history and computed tomography (CT) imaging information were collected for 138 cases. Additionally, information on the clinical course of 50 cases, which were incorrectly diagnosed as gastroenteritis, constipation, or small bowel obstruction, was also collected.ResultsIn 42 (30.4%) cases of delayed diagnosis of LGP, CT imaging was performed before diagnosis, indicating a missed opportunity for timely diagnosis. Moreover, 33 of the 50 patients initially diagnosed with gastroenteritis, constipation, or small bowel obstruction at the time of initial examination had atypical findings that were not consistent with the initial diagnosis. Of the 138 cases with delayed diagnosis in our study, 67 cases (48.6%) showed problems with either the interpretation of CT scans or with the process of clinical reasoning.ConclusionOur retrospective study results indicate that approximately half of the cases with delayed diagnosis of LGP were due to problems in interpreting CT images or in clinical reasoning. This finding suggests that clinical reasoning and image interpretation by radiologists are important in improving the diagnostic process for LGP.

Evaluating accuracy of cervical spine computed tomography interpretation by emergency trainees with the use of a structured protocol.

Radiological evaluation of cervical spine injury with computed tomography (CT) scanning is a fundamental component of the assessment of major trauma. Accurate interpretation of scans is essential for safe clearance or diagnosis of injuries. However, delays in radiologist reporting often result in prolonged spinal immobilisation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a simple, structured reporting tool to improve assessment of CTs of the cervical spine by emergency medicine trainees. A prospective pre- and post-intervention cohort study was undertaken within a major metropolitan ED. Participants in the pre-intervention phase interpreted a set of randomly selected cervical spine CTs. The post-intervention phase presented the same task with the additional provision of a structured cervical spine CT reporting template designed in collaboration with radiologists and emergency physicians. Interpretation by trainees was evaluated for concordance with the final radiology report by two blinded assessors. A total of 155 cervical spine CT scans were reported by the 46 participants. Participants in the cohorts were similar with regards to experience and country of primary medical degree. Concordance with the radiology report in the pre-intervention phase was 60% (95% CI 0.48-0.71), compared with a concordance of 54% (95% CI 0.42-0.65) in the post-intervention phase (P = 0.46). Interpretation of cervical spine CT scans by trainees was inferior compared to radiologists and did not improve with a structured reporting template. Other innovative strategies towards timely reporting of CT scans by radiologists of the cervical spine are indicated for earlier definitive diagnosis.

Abdominal computed tomography scoring systems and experienced radiologists in the radiological diagnosis of small bowel and mesenteric injury

PurposeBlunt bowel and/or mesenteric injury requiring surgery presents a diagnostic challenge. Although computed tomography (CT) imaging is standard following blunt trauma, findings can be nonspecific. Most studies have focused on the diagnostic value of CT findings in identifying significant bowel and/or mesenteric injury (sBMI). Some studies have described scoring systems to assist with diagnosis. Little attention, has been given to radiologist interpretation of CT scans. This study compared the discriminative ability of scoring systems (BIPS and RAPTOR) with radiologist interpretation in identifying sBMI.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective chart review of trauma patients with suspected sBMI. CT images were reviewed in a blinded fashion to calculate BIPS and RAPTOR scores. Sensitivity and specificity were compared between BIPS, RAPTOR, and the admission CT report with respect to identifying sBMI.ResultsOne hundred sixty-two patients were identified, 72 (44%) underwent laparotomy and 43 (26.5%) had sBMI. Sensitivity and specificity were: BIPS 49% and 87%, AUC 0.75 (0.67–0.81), P < 0.001; RAPTOR 46% and 82%, AUC 0.72 (0.64–0.79), P < 0.001; radiologist impression 81% and 71%, AUC 0.82(0.75–0.87), P < 0.001. The discriminative ability of the radiologist impression was higher than RAPTOR (P = 0.04) but not BIPS (P = 0.13). There was not a difference between RAPTOR vs. BIPS (P = 0.55).ConclusionRadiologist interpretation of the admission CT scan was discriminative of sBMI. Although surgical vigilance, including evaluation of the CT images and patient, remains fundamental to early diagnosis, the radiologist’s impression of the CT scan can be used in clinical practice to simplify the approach to patients with abdominal trauma.

Interpretable Severity Scoring of Pelvic Trauma Through Automated Fracture Detection and Bayesian Inference.

Pelvic ring disruptions result from blunt injury mechanisms and are potentially lethal mainly due to associated injuries and massive pelvic hemorrhage. The severity of pelvic fractures in trauma victims is frequently assessed by grading the fracture according to the Tile AO/OTA classification in whole-body Computed Tomography (CT) scans. Due to the high volume of whole-body CT scans generated in trauma centers, the overall information content of a single whole-body CT scan and low manual CT reading speed, an automatic approach to Tile classification would provide substantial value, e. g., to prioritize the reading sequence of the trauma radiologists or enable them to focus on other major injuries in multi-trauma patients. In such a high-stakes scenario, an automated method for Tile grading should ideally be transparent such that the symbolic information provided by the method follows the same logic a radiologist or orthopedic surgeon would use to determine the fracture grade. This paper introduces an automated yet interpretable pelvic trauma decision support system to assist radiologists in fracture detection and Tile grading. To achieve interpretability despite processing high-dimensional whole-body CT images, we design a neurosymbolic algorithm that operates similarly to human interpretation of CT scans. The algorithm first detects relevant pelvic fractures on CTs with high specificity using Faster-RCNN. To generate robust fracture detections and associated detection (un)certainties, we perform test-time augmentation of the CT scans to apply fracture detection several times in a self-ensembling approach. The fracture detections are interpreted using a structural causal model based on clinical best practices to infer an initial Tile grade. We apply a Bayesian causal model to recover likely co-occurring fractures that may have been rejected initially due to the highly specific operating point of the detector, resulting in an updated list of detected fractures and corresponding final Tile grade. Our method is transparent in that it provides fracture location and types, as well as information on important counterfactuals that would invalidate the system's recommendation. Our approach achieves an AUC of 0.89/0.74 for translational and rotational instability,which is comparable to radiologist performance. Despite being designed for human-machine teaming, our approach does not compromise on performance compared to previous black-box methods.

Stacked deep model‐based classification of the multiclass brain hemorrhages in CT scans

AbstractIntracranial hemorrhage (ICH) brain hemorrhages are life‐threatening medical conditions that require a prompt and accurate diagnosis to ensure timely intervention and treatment. Computed tomography (CT) scans play a vital role in diagnosing brain hemorrhages due to their ability to provide detailed cross‐sectional images of the brain. However, the manual interpretation of CT scans is time‐consuming and subjects to human error. To address these challenges, this study proposes a stacked deep model‐based classification approach for the automated identification and differentiation of multiclass brain hemorrhages in CT scans. The stacked deep model architecture consists of multiple layers of neural networks, each designed to learn specific levels of features, leading to enhanced representation learning and improved classification performance. Later, the stacked models are connected with the weighted approach that helps to get the ensemble models in the proper order based on their power of predicting correct samples. To build the stacked deep model, a large dataset of 7,52 000 annotated CT scans is utilized to train the model and optimize its parameters. Furthermore, transfer learning is employed to leverage pretrained models for feature extraction, which aids in handling limited data scenarios. Experimental results demonstrate that the stacked deep model achieves superior accuracy (98.56%), and other classification performance measures such as sensitivity (95.89%), specificity (99.58%), AUC‐ROC (98.47%), and weighted log loss (0.04967) as compared to conventional methods. The automated classification of multiclass brain hemorrhages in CT scans using the proposed model not only significantly reduces the time required for diagnosis but also enhances the reliability and consistency of results. This model has the potential to assist medical professionals in making more informed decisions and improve patient outcomes by enabling rapid and accurate diagnosis of brain hemorrhages.

The Compatibility of Preoperative Temporal Bone CT Scan Interpretation and Intraoperative Findings in Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media at Dr. Zainoel Abidin Hospital Banda Aceh

Introduction: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is middle ear and mastoid infection that causes hearing loss globally. Computed Tomography (CT)-Scan of the temporal bone is useful for assessing the pathogenesis of the disease and estimating the prognosis. In addition, evaluation of CT-Scan in patients with CSOM is useful for selecting the appropriate surgical procedure to minimize post-surgical complications. This study aims to assess the suitability of temporal CT-Scan interpretation to intraoperatif findings in CSOM patients. Methods: This is an observational study with cross-sectional design conducted at the dr. Zainoel Abidin General Hospital, Banda Aceh. The components of suitability evaluation include cholesteatoma, scutum erosion, ossicles, tegmen tympani, facial canal, posterior wall and sigmoid sinus wall. The interpretation suitability of temporal CT-Scan and intraoperatif findings was performed using the Kappa test. Results: A total of 18 CSOM patients were involved in this study with a mean age of 32.44 years and dominated by the safe type with a percentage of 55.6%. Interpretation of ossicular erosion based on temporal CT scan has very strong suitability with the intraoperatif findings with k=0.88 followed by posterior wall erosion (k=0.684), scutum erosion (k=0.679), tympanic tegmen erosion (k=0.455) and facial canal erosion (k=0.341). The findings of cholesteatoma and erosion of the sigmoid sinus wall had a very low suitability (k&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Temporal CT scan in CSOM patients has relatively good suitability with intraoperatif findings in evaluating erosion of the ossicles, posterior wall, and scutum. Another examination modality is necessary to assess and improve the accuracy of disease pathogenesis.

A comparison of performance between a deep learning model with residents for localization and classification of intracranial hemorrhage

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) from traumatic brain injury (TBI) requires prompt radiological investigation and recognition by physicians. Computed tomography (CT) scanning is the investigation of choice for TBI and has become increasingly utilized under the shortage of trained radiology personnel. It is anticipated that deep learning models will be a promising solution for the generation of timely and accurate radiology reports. Our study examines the diagnostic performance of a deep learning model and compares the performance of that with detection, localization and classification of traumatic ICHs involving radiology, emergency medicine, and neurosurgery residents. Our results demonstrate that the high level of accuracy achieved by the deep learning model, (0.89), outperforms the residents with regard to sensitivity (0.82) but still lacks behind in specificity (0.90). Overall, our study suggests that the deep learning model may serve as a potential screening tool aiding the interpretation of head CT scans among traumatic brain injury patients.

A Comparative Study of Intravital CT and Autopsy Findings in Fatal Traumatic Injuries.

Objectives: Traumatic injuries are one of the severe health problems of our time. In the 21st Century, approximately 4.5 million people worldwide die each year due to trauma. Computed tomography (CT) is widely used to diagnose injuries and offers information on the specific location and extent of organ and tissue damage. In cases of severe trauma, whole-body CT is increasingly used as a standard diagnostic technique. An autopsy is the final diagnostic examination and is still considered the gold standard in diagnostic methods in medicine. The aim of the study was to assess the reliability and accuracy of CT scan results, as well as limits in detecting trauma for forensic purposes. It aims to compare traumatic findings in the antemortem CT results to those observed at autopsy. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective–prospective study involving 510 deaths due to trauma. We compared selected traumatic changes in the antemortem CT scan results with the autopsy findings. We obtained data with a detailed analysis of autopsy protocols, photographic documentation from the autopsies, and the interpretation of CT scans from medical documentation. In cases of discrepancies in the findings, we borrowed CT scans, which were repeatedly reviewed by clinical radiologists. Results: By comparing the findings of selected injuries detected by antemortem CT and autopsy, we found a correlation of findings in 75.3% and a discrepancy of findings in 24.7% in a set of 510 cases. After repeated targeted assessment of CT images by clinical radiologists in cases of discrepancies in the findings, which were detected by autopsy and undescribed by CT, the discrepancy decreased to 17%. Conclusions: The results of the study are comparable with data from many studies and professional publications. They show that CT compared to autopsy is a good method for diagnosing gunshot wounds to the head and bone fractures, with a limited diagnosis of cranial base fractures, while an autopsy is better for detecting minor injuries to organs and soft tissues.

Accuracy of emergency physicians' interpretation of computed tomography for urgent-emergent diagnoses in nontraumatic cases.

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy levels of the emergency physicians (EPs) managing the patient in the interpretation of the urgent-emergent pathological findings in thoracic and abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans.METHODS:The EPs interpreted the CT scans of patients who visited the emergency department because of nontraumatic causes. Then, a radiology instructor made final assessments of these CT scans. Based on the interpretation of the radiology instructor, the false-positive rate, false-negative rate, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and kappa coefficient (κ) of the EPs’ interpretations of the CT scans were calculated.RESULTS:A total of 268 thoracics and 185 abdominal CT scans were assessed in our study. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the EPs’ interpretation of the thoracic CT scans were 90% and 89%, respectively, whereas the abdominal CT interpretation was 88% and 86%, respectively. There was excellent concordance between the EPs and the radiology instructor with regard to the diagnoses of pneumothorax, pulmonary embolism, pleural effusion, parenchymal pathology, and masses (κ: 0.90, κ: 0.87, κ: 0.71, κ: 0.79, and κ: 0.91, respectively) and to the diagnoses of intraabdominal free fluid, intraabdominal free gas, aortic pathology, splenic pathology, gallbladder pathology, mesenteric artery embolism, appendicitis, gynecological pathology, and renal pathology (κ: 1, κ: 0.92, κ: 0.96, κ: 0.88, κ: 0.80, κ: 0.79, κ: 0.89, κ: 0.88, and κ: 0.82, respectively).CONCLUSION:The EPs are successful in the interpretation of the urgent-emergent pathological findings in thoracic and abdominal CT scans.

Interpretation of Emergency CT Scans of the Head in Trauma: Neurosurgeon vs Radiologist.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity across all ages in all countries. Management of the patient with TBI is time critical. Emergency computed tomography (CT) scans of the head are often assessed by neurosurgeons and patient management plans are implemented before the final radiological report is released in hospitals, particularly where there is a shortage of radiologists in LMIC. The aims of this study were to identify discrepancies in the interpretation of CT scans of the head in patients with isolated head injury between the neurosurgeon and radiologist and to assess if these differences impacted patient management. This 6-month long prospective observational study was performed at a tertiary hospital in South Africa. The study population comprised 347 patients with isolated head injury who had a CT scan of the head performed on admission. The neurosurgeons' initial CT scan interpretation and the final radiological report were compared. Out of 347 CT head scans, the neurosurgeons correctly interpreted 318 cases. Of the 29 incorrectly interpreted cases, there were 17 false negatives and 12 cases with mismatching abnormalities. The concordance rate was 91.64% (95% CI 88.73-94.55) with a kappa of 0.78. An accuracy rate of 95.33% (95% CI 92.63-97.26) was achieved by the neurosurgeon. No patient was negatively impacted by any neurosurgical error in misinterpretation. In the interpretation of CT head scans in trauma, there is good neurosurgical and radiological interobserver agreement without negative patient impact. The neurosurgeons' interpretation of CT scans of the head in TBI is safe especially when radiology reports are not timeously available.

Factors affecting incorrect interpretation of abdominal computed tomography in non-traumatic patients by novice emergency physicians.

ObjectiveAccurate interpretation of computed tomography (CT) scans is critical for patient care in the emergency department. We aimed to identify factors associated with an incorrect interpretation of abdominal CT by novice emergency residents and to analyze the characteristics of incorrectly interpreted scans.MethodsThis retrospective analysis of a prospective observational cohort was conducted at three urban emergency departments. Discrepancies between the interpretations by postgraduate year-1 (PGY-1) emergency residents and the final radiologists’ reports were assessed by independent adjudicators. Potential factors associated with incorrect interpretation included patient age, sex, time of interpretation, and organ category. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for incorrect interpretation were calculated using multivariable logistic regression analysis.ResultsAmong 1,628 eligible cases, 270 (16.6%) were incorrect. The urinary system was the most correctly interpreted organ system (95.8%, 365/381), while the biliary tract was the most incorrectly interpreted (28.4%, 48/169). Normal CT images showed high false-positive rates of incorrect interpretation (28.2%, 96/340). Organ category was found to be a major determinant of incorrect interpretation. Using the urinary system as a reference, the aOR for incorrect interpretation of biliary tract disease was 9.20 (95% confidence interval, 5.0–16.90) and the aOR for incorrectly interpreting normal CT images was 8.47 (95% confidence interval, 4.85–14.78).ConclusionBiliary tract disease is a major factor associated with incorrect preliminary interpretations of abdominal CT scans by PGY-1 emergency residents. PGY-1 residents also showed high false-positive interpretation rates for normal CT images. Emergency residents’ training should focus on these two areas to improve abdominal CT interpretation accuracy.

Importance of Radiologists in Optimizing Outcomes for Older Americans with Acute Abdomen

BackgroundPatients presenting with acute abdominal pain often undergo a computed tomography (CT) scan as part of their diagnostic workup. We investigated the relationship between availability, timeliness, and interpretation of CT imaging and outcomes for life-threatening intra-abdominal diseases or “acute abdomen,” in older Americans. MethodsData from a 2015 national survey of 2811 hospitals regarding emergency general surgery structures and processes (60.1% overall response, n = 1690) were linked to 2015 Medicare inpatient claims data. We identified beneficiaries aged ≥65 admitted emergently with a confirmatory acute abdomen diagnosis code and operative intervention on the same calendar date. Multivariable regression models adjusted for significant covariates determined odds of complications and mortality based on CT resources. ResultsWe identified 9125 patients with acute abdomen treated at 1253 hospitals, of which 78% had ≥64-slice CT scanners and 85% had 24/7 CT technicians. Overnight CT reads were provided by in-house radiologists at 14% of hospitals and by teleradiologists at 66%. Patients were predominantly 65-74 y old (43%), white (88%), females (60%), and with ≥3 comorbidities (67%) and 8.6% died. STAT radiology reads by a board-certified radiologist rarely/never available in 2 h was associated with increased odds of systemic complication and mortality (adjusted odds ratio 2.6 [1.3-5.4] and 2.3 [1.1-4.8], respectively). ConclusionsDelays obtaining results are associated with adverse outcomes in older patients with acute abdomen. This may be due to delays in surgical consultation and time to source control while waiting for imaging results. Processes to ensure timely interpretation of CT scans in patients with abdominal pain may improve outcomes in high-risk patients.

Interpretation of emergency CT scans in polytrauma: trauma surgeon vs radiologist.

IntroductionTime is critical in the trauma setting. Emergency computed tomography (CT) scans are usually interpreted by the attending doctor and plans to manage the patient are implemented before the formal radiological report is available. This study aims to investigate the discrepancy in interpretation of emergency whole body CT scans in trauma patients by the trauma surgeon and radiologist and to determine if the difference in trauma surgeon and radiologist interpretation of emergency trauma CT scans has an impact on patient management.MethodThis prospective observational comparative study was conducted over a 6 month period (01 April–30 September 2016) at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital which has a level 1 trauma department. The study population comprised 62 polytrauma patients who underwent a multiphase whole body CT scans as per the trauma imaging protocol. The trauma surgeons' initial interpretation of the CT scan and radiological report were compared. All CT scans reported by the radiology registrar were reviewed by a consultant radiologist. The time from completion of the CT scan and completion of the radiological report was analysed.ResultsSince the trauma surgeon accompanied the patient to radiology and reviewed the images as soon as the scan was complete, the initial interpretation of the CT was performed within 15–30 min. The median time between the CT scan completion and reporting turnaround time was 75 (16–218) min. Critical findings were missed by the trauma surgeon in 4.8% of patients (bronchial transection, abdominal aortic intimal tear and cervical spine fracture) and non-critical/incidental findings in 41.94%. The trauma surgeon correctly detected and graded visceral injury in all cases.ConclusionThere was no significant discrepancy in the critical findings on interpretation of whole body CT scans in polytrauma patients by the trauma surgeon and radiologist and therefore no negative impact on patient management from missed injury or misdiagnosis.The turnaround time for the radiology report does not allow for timeous management of the trauma patient.

EMERGENCY MEDICINE SERVICE CAN INTERPRET ABDOMINO-PELVIC CT SCANS WITH CLOSE TO THE SAME ACCURACY AS RADIOLOGY SERVICE

Background: Interpreting abdomino-pelvic Computed Tomography (CT) scanning is substantially important in clinical decision making for emergency medicine (EM) physicians in Emergency department, where radiologist’s report is not available all the time. The current research aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of EM physicians in the interpretation of abdomino-pelvic CT scan in trauma patients. Material and Methods: This observational study carried out at a teaching hospital in 2018. The results of abdomino-pelvic CT scans of patients admitted to Emergency Department with abdomino-pelvic trauma, interpreted by EM and radiology physicians were compared. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and the diagnostic accuracy of EM service interpretation were calculated. kappa coefficient (κ) was obtained to examine the level of concurrence. Results: A total of Six hundred ninety-nine patients (mean age 34.54; 11% female, %89 male) enrolled. Totally, 183 positive (abnormal) findings were reported by EM physicians, including 170 true positive and 13 false positive. Out of 516 negative reporting, 494 were true negative and 22 were false negative. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values of emergency medicine service interpretation were %88.54, %97.44, %95.00, %92.90, and %95.74, respectively. A high agreement level was found between interpretation of EM and radiology services. Conclusion: The results showed that EM physicians’ qualification on of abdomino- pelvis CT scan interpretation is considerable, and they can act on their own judgment and independent from radiologist report, when they are not available. Yet, because of some misinterpretation, more systematic training of abdomino-pelvis CT scan interpretation is needed to optimize the accuracy of the EM physicians.

Role of multi-slice computed tomography in evaluation and management of intestinal obstruction

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of multi-slice computed tomography (CT) with reference to presence or absence of intestinal obstruction, level of obstruction, the cause of obstruction, and correlating with their clinical diagnosis.Methods: Patients were admitted directly from Out Patient Department or emergency department with complaints suggestive of intestinal obstruction. Computed tomography scan interpretations performed by experienced radiologists were compared with the final diagnosis that was made on the basis of information obtained clinically, by investigations, and by surgical findings.Results: Majority of patients were males 62%. Mean age 51.62±17.46 years. Majority presents with abdominal pain 94% and constipation 72%.The most common cause of obstruction was adhesion bands 18%.The pre CT diagnosis was changed because of CT findings in 28 patients. Only in 50 (89.28%) patients CT findings matched with intra-operative and cause of obstruction was also found, and in 6 (10.71%) patients intra-operative findings are different from CT findings. In bowel obstruction, the CT sensitivity was 89.28%, specificity 90.90%, positive predictive value 92.59%, negative predictive value 86.95% and accuracy 92.59%.Conclusions: We concluded that multi-slice CT is highly sensitive and specific in determining the presence, the cause and site of bowel obstruction, the site of obstruction and cause of obstruction. We recommended the use of CT scan when diagnosis between ileus and obstruction on the basis of clinical and plain radiographic are difficult or in patients in whome small bowel obstruction is diagnosed when conservative management is contemplated.

Treatment Delays for Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke in an Iranian Emergency Department: A Retrospective Chart Review

We evaluate the extent and nature of treatment delays and the contributing factors influencing them for patients with acute ischemic stroke, as well as main barriers to stroke care in an Iranian emergency department (ED). A retrospective chart review was conducted on 394 patients with acute ischemic stroke who were referred to the ED of a tertiary academic medical center in northwest Iran from March 21 to June 21, 2017. The steps of this review process included instrument development, medical records retrieval, data extraction, and data verification. Primary outcomes were identified treatment delays and causes of loss of eligibility for intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-tPA). Of patients with acute ischemic stroke, 80.2% did not meet intravenous r-tPA eligibility; the most common cause was delayed (>4.5 hours) ED arrival after symptom onset (71.82%; n=283). Of 19.8% of subjects for whom the stroke code was activated, intravenous r-tPA was administered in only 5.3%. The average time from patients' arrival to first emergency medicine resident visit, notification of acute stroke team, presence of neurology resident, and computed tomography scan interpretation was lower for patients who met criteria of intravenous r-tPA than for those who lost eligibility for fibrinolytic therapy. The average door-to-needle time was 69 minutes (interquartile range 46 to 91 minutes). Our ED and acute stroke team had a favorable clinical performance meeting established critical time goals of inhospital care for potentially eligible patients, but a poor clinical performance for the majority of patients who were not candidates for fibrinolytic therapy.

Accuracy of Bedside Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Skull Fractures in Children Aged 0 to 4 Years.

The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy of bedside ultrasound (US) performed by emergency physicians for diagnosing skull fractures in children 0 to 4 years old compared with the accuracy of head computed tomography (CT). We also sought to investigate characteristics and precautions associated with US. This single-center prospective study involved children 0 to 4 years old who had a history of head trauma. Bedside US was performed by emergency medicine physicians, and the results were compared with CT scan interpretations provided by attending radiologists. The accuracy of US for the diagnosis of skull fractures was calculated, and the errors were reviewed. A total of 87 patients were enrolled. Skull fracture was present in 13 patients (14.9%), according to CT. Bedside US had a sensitivity and specificity of 76.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 46.0%-93.8%) and 100% (95% CI, 93.9%-100%), respectively. Overall positive predictive value was 100% (95% CI, 65.5%-100%), and negative predictive value was 96.1% (95% CI, 88.3%-99.0%). Three false-negative cases were observed. Bedside US performed by emergency medicine physicians with short focused US training is a useful tool for diagnosing skull fractures in children 0 to 4 years of age. However, there were 3 false-negative cases. A meticulous examination is needed in the area adjacent to the orbital wall and skull base.

Impact of Asynchronous Training on Radiology Learning Curve among Emergency Medicine Residents and Clerkship Students.

Web-based learning (WBL) modules are effectively used to improve medical education curriculum; however, they have not been evaluated to improve head computed tomography (CT) scan interpretation in an emergency medicine (EM) setting. To evaluate the effectiveness of a WBL module to aid identification of cranial structures on CT and to improve ability to distinguish between normal and abnormal findings. Prospective, before-and-after trial in the Emergency Department of an academic center. Baseline head CT knowledge was assessed via a standardized test containing ten head CT scans, including normal scans and those showing hemorrhagic stroke, trauma, and infection (abscess). All trainees then participated in a WBL intervention. Three weeks later, they were given the same ten CT scans to evaluate in a standardized posttest. Improvement in test scores. A total of 131 EM clerkship students and 32 EM residents were enrolled. Pretest scores correlated with stage of training, with students and first-year residents demonstrating the lowest scores. Overall, there was a significant improvement in percentage of correctly classified CT images after the training intervention from a mean pretest score of 32% ± 12% to posttest score of 67% ± 13% (mean improvement = 35% ± 13%, p < 0.001). Among subsets by training level, all subgroups except first-year residents demonstrated a statistically significant increase in scores after the training. Incorporating asynchronous WBL modules into EM clerkship and residency curriculum provides early radiographic exposure in their clinical training and can enhance diagnostic head CT scan interpretation.

Learning curve and period of experience required for the competent diagnosis of acute appendicitis using abdominal computed tomography: a prospective observational study.

ObjectiveTo assess the learning curve of novice residents in diagnosing acute appendicitis using abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans.MethodsThis prospective observational study was conducted within a 4-month period from March 1 to June 30, 2015. After CT scans for right lower quadrant pain or similar acute abdomen were evaluated, postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) residents completed an interpretation checklist. The primary outcome was evaluation of the learning curve for competent CT scan interpretation under suspicion of acute appendicitis. Secondary outcomes were cumulative numbers of accurate abdominal CT interpretations regardless of initial clinical impression and training period.ResultsPGY-1 residents recorded a total of 230 interpretation checklists. There were 53, 51, 46, 44, and 36 checklists recorded by individual residents and 92, 92, 91, 91, and 61 respective training days in the emergency department, excluding rotation periods in other departments. After 16 to 20 interpretations of abdominal CT scans performed under suspicion of acute appendicitis, the residents could diagnose acute appendicitis with more than 95% accuracy. Overall, the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing acute appendicitis were 97% (95% confidence interval, 94 to 100) and 83% (95% confidence interval, 80 to 87), respectively. After 61 to 80 abdominal CT interpretations regardless of suspicion of acute appendicitis and after 41 to 50 days in training, PGY-1 emergency department residents could diagnose acute appendicitis with more than 95% accuracy.ConclusionPGY-1 residents require 16 to 20 checklist interpretations to acquire acceptable abdominal CT interpretation. After performing 61 to 80 CT scans regardless of suspicion of acute appendicitis, they could diagnose acute appendicitis with acceptable accuracy.

Explaining Radiological Emphysema Subtypes with Unsupervised Texture Prototypes: MESA COPD Study.

Pulmonary emphysema is traditionally subcategorized into three subtypes, which have distinct radiological appearances on computed tomography (CT) and can help with the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Automated texture-based quantification of emphysema subtypes has been successfully implemented via supervised learning of these three emphysema subtypes. In this work, we demonstrate that unsupervised learning on a large heterogeneous database of CT scans can generate texture prototypes that are visually homogeneous and distinct, reproducible across subjects, and capable of predicting accurately the three standard radiological subtypes. These texture prototypes enable automated labeling of lung volumes, and open the way to new interpretations of lung CT scans with finer subtyping of emphysema.