The Accuracy of On-Call CT Reporting in Teleradiology Networks in Comparison to In-House Reporting

Abstract

(1) Background: We aimed to compare the accuracy of after-hours CT reports created in a traditional in-house setting versus a teleradiology setting by assessing the discrepancy rates between preliminary and final reports. (2) Methods: We conducted a prospective study to determine the number and severity of discrepancies between preliminary and final reports for 7761 consecutive after-hours CT scans collected over a 21-month period. CT exams were performed during on-call hours and were proofread by an attending the next day. Discrepancies between preliminary and gold-standard reports were evaluated by two senior attending radiologists, and differences in rates were assessed for statistical significance. (3) Results: A total of 7209 reports were included in the analysis. Discrepancies occurred in 1215/7209 cases (17%). Among these, 433/7209 reports (6%) showed clinically important differences between the preliminary and final reports. A total of 335/5509 of them were in-house reports (6.1%), and 98/1700 were teleradiology reports (5.8%). The relative frequencies of report changes were not significantly higher in teleradiology. (4) Conclusions: The accuracy of teleradiology reports was not inferior to that of in-house reports, with very similar clinically important differences rates found in both reporting situations.

The role of teleradiology during COVID-19 outbreak

“…Compared to in-house reporting, those who use the teleradiology system may not have access to the clinical data or previous examinations that can assist radiologists in image interpretation and impact the quality of radiology reports. 32 Several studies have discussed the link between a lack of clinical information and the diagnostic accuracy of reports. 33 , 34 Nevertheless, Storjohann et al 32 (2021) found that the absence of clinical information did not negatively impact the accuracy of radiological reports.…”

“… 32 Several studies have discussed the link between a lack of clinical information and the diagnostic accuracy of reports. 33 , 34 Nevertheless, Storjohann et al 32 (2021) found that the absence of clinical information did not negatively impact the accuracy of radiological reports. In this study, 41% of Saudi radiologists seemed to believe that teleradiology has increased the quality of radiology reports during the pandemic, while the rest of the participants expressed uncertain views.…”

“…35 A lack of trust into reports issued by teleradiology was also found due to the lack of interactivity with the clinicians while discussing patients' images. 32 However, so-called virtual consultation can be used to improve communication levels and promote interprofessional trust, where distantly located radiologists and clinicians can discuss cases in real time using a computer-screenshare system. 35,36 Study limitations.…”

The growing role of telemedicine – possibilities and regulations concerning teleradiology in Poland

“…Another disadvantage of teleradiology is worse supervision of the radiological examinations, because it limits the communication between the radiologist and radiographer. On the other hand, it should be mentioned that despite differences in setting and the lack of personal contact with the patient, radiographers, and other staff, a broad-scale German study [ 34 ] showed that the accuracy of teleradiologists is not significantly lower than in the case of on-site radiologists at on-call shifts.…”

Teledentistry – An oral radiology perspective

“…The US military medical services uses digital radiology which is connected by a system of electronic health records. 9,10 The concept of dates back to the late 1920s. According to the definition of teleradiology by American College of Radiology (ACR), it is the electronic transmission of radiographic images from one location to another location for the purposes of radiographic interpretation and/or consultation.…”