Checklists for interpreting chest radiographs: a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: What is known about checklists for interpreting chest radiographs? The question will guide the development of the inclusion criteria for the scoping review. Breaking down the scoping review question will allow the evaluation of inclusion and exclusion criteria for the protocol. The eligibility of the proposed research question will be assessed using the Population or Participants, Concept and Context (PCC) framework. BACKGROUND: X-ray reporting can be standardised using checklists. Checklists may reduce the time needed to produce a comprehensive X-ray report and improve the quality and consistency of detecting abnormalities on chest radiographs. This scoping review aims to map the available literature on what is known about checklists for interpreting chest radiographs. METHODS: We will follow the methodological framework for scoping reviews originally described by Arksey and O'Malley. The scoping review will include articles that describe checklists for reducing diagnostic errors, checklists for analysing chest radiographs, checklists for identifying abnormalities on chest radiographs and checklists for reporting chest radiographs in all settings. Search terms are chest radiographs, checklists, and chest X-rays. We will search for peer-reviewed articles and grey literature including dissertations and theses. We will search online databases including Ovid Medline and Ebscohost, to identify articles published in English from 1994 to 2022. The searched articles will undergo two levels of screening, first the title and abstract screening, then a full-text screening by two reviewers. Data from the selected articles will be extracted, using a tested extraction form and charted using the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. RESULTS: The results will be collated, summarised and discussed including any limitations of the included articles. The articles will be summarised in a table, as well as narratively. The distribution of studies will be summarised quantitatively and the numerical analysis will provide an overview and identify knowledge gaps. Content analysis will map different checklists available for chest interpretation. DISCUSSION: The results of the scoping review will be used to develop a checklist that will be used by medical doctors in collaboration with radiographers working in settings where there are no radiologists on-site, for interpreting chest radiographs. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: Scoping review protocol registered with Open Science Framework on 27 July 2022. Registration https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/JS5PQ.

Methods Used by General Practitioners to Interpret Chest Radiographs at District Hospitals in the City of Tshwane, South Africa.

INTRODUCTION: A chest radiograph is one of the first-line diagnostic tools for general practitioners (GPs) to diagnose, monitor treatment, and predict the outcomes of diseases. In district hospitals, after clinical examination, GPs refer patients for imaging in the X-ray department. Radiologists specialize in interpretation of radiographs and provide a gold standard radiologist report to help diagnose support and influence patient management. A shortage of radiologists restricts continuity in radiology services and causes a delay in diagnosis, compromising the overall quality of service to patients. GPs are mandated to perform image interpretation on all chest radiographs taken at district hospitals and they sometimes request assistance from radiographers. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore methods used by GPs to interpret chest radiographs at district hospitals in the City of Tshwane, in South Africa. METHODS: A qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive case study method of inquiry, with convenience sampling was used. Under discussion, the case studies were reconstructed in terms of themes. Recurring themes in these case studies were expounded and linked within the literature. RESULTS: Results obtained from a sample of 15 participants showed that GPs used a free global search to scan radiographs without a preconceived orderly pattern. Their only training on image interpretation occurred during undergraduate education and training. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that the methods used by GPs for interpretations of chest radiographs were not systematic in approach, resulting in omission in identifying abnormalities in some structures of the chest/thoracic region. The researcher recommends that all GPs need continuous in-house training to acquire the knowledge of the systematic method of evaluating chest radiographs.

The Level of Compliance With the Use of Personal Radiation Monitoring Devices by Qualified Radiographers at Provincial Hospitals in the Tshwane District Area.

When researchers accompanied radiography students during their work integrated learning, it was observed that there is non-compliance with regards the use of personal radiation monitoring devices by radiographers in the Radiology Departments at Provincial hospitals in the Tshwane district area. The aim of this research study was to identify the level of compliance with the use of radiation monitoring devices by radiographers. A quantitative descriptive study method was used, and the data collection tool was questionnaires that were hand delivered to all settings. The sample size of radiographers was 96, and consent was received from 61 participants. The data was collated in a Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet, and the variables were statistically analyzed for frequencies and percentages. The Fisher's exact test was used for association to answer the level of compliance and management of the radiation monitoring device. Results showed compliance of radiographers in the wearing of radiation monitoring devices but inconsistency as to where the radiation monitoring device should be worn. A lack of awareness about policies from the Radiation Board was also noted.