COVID-19 and Radiology Resident Imaging Volumes–Differential Impact by Resident Training Year and Imaging Modality

Abstract

Rationale and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted radiology departments across the country. The pandemic has also disrupted resident education, both due to departmental social distancing efforts and reduced imaging volumes. The purpose of this study was to assess the differential impact the pandemic had on radiology resident imaging volumes by training year and imaging modality. Materials and Methods: All signed radiology resident reports were curated during defined prepandemic and intrapandemic time periods. Imaging case volumes were analyzed on a mean per resident basis to quantify absolute and percent change by training level. Change in total volume by imaging modality was also assessed. The number of resident workdays assigned outside the normal reading room was also calculated. Results: Overall percent decline in resident imaging interpretation volume from the prepandemic to intrapandemic time period was 62.8%. R1s and R2s had the greatest decline at 87.3% and 64.3%, respectively. Mammography, MRI and nuclear medicine had the greatest decline in resident interpretation volume at 92.0%, 73.2%, and 73.0%, respectively. During the intrapandemic time period, a total of 478 resident days (mean of 14.5 days per resident) were reassigned outside of the radiology reading room. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic caused a marked decrease in radiology resident imaging interpretation volume and has had a tremendous impact on resident education. The decrease in case interpretation, as well as in-person teaching has profound implications for resident education. Knowledge of this differential decrease by training level will help residency programs plan for the future.

Interventional Radiology in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: Impact on Practices and Wellbeing

“…The challenge encountered by most medical specialties is balancing the risk of resident transmission with the requisite work hours needed to meet milestones. From the DR aspect of residency training, imaging volume dropped by >87.3% for junior residents ( 10 ). An additional challenge to meeting milestones was the threat of redeployment of residents to inpatient medical services, including critical care units and rapid response teams ( 16 , 17 ).…”

“…The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on various medical specialties has previously been described ( 6 , 7 ). Furthermore, several recent studies have evaluated the magnitude of pandemic-related case-load variation in radiology practices, including reductions of interventional radiology (IR) volumes by 29.0-42.6% ( 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ).…”

Remote Reading and Teaching of Nuclear Medicine in the Era of COVID-19

“…Many patients adamantly avoided visiting the hospital or imaging centers due to fear of contagion, further leading to a decline in imaging studies. With onset of the pandemic, there was a marked decrease in imaging volumes and the diversity of cases 6 , 7 , largely limited to emergency studies such as pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy or inpatient studies such as evaluation of fever of unknown origin with 67 Ga-citrate or 111 In-oxine-WBC. Indeed, radiology training programs noted decreased volumes of resident case interpretations which especially affected specialized rotations such as mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear medicine.…”

“…Indeed, radiology training programs noted decreased volumes of resident case interpretations which especially affected specialized rotations such as mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear medicine. 7 …”

Resident Experiences With Virtual Radiology Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has brought additional challenges that residency programs have tackled using virtual strategies. Solutions to decreases in imaging volumes ( 8 , 9 ) include dividing residents into two clinical groups with one reporting to service and the other assigned to distance learning, promoting online learning resources, assigning scientific/review articles with multiple choice questions, and hosting interesting case conferences ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ). Additionally, studies have indicated that the pandemic has negatively impacted trainee well-being, including decreased resident morale ( 10 , 11 ).…”