Queensland radiographer clinical descriptions of adult appendicular musculo-skeletal trauma following a condensed education programme

Introduction: A previous paper discussed the standardised test preparation and performance of a group of 10 Brisbane based radiographers. This report describes the follow up clinical component whereby radiographers were compared against emergency department doctors and radiologists. Method: Adult appendicular musculo-skeletal trauma images were immediately described in the emergency department (ED) by 10 radiographers previously exposed to a condensed education programme. Twenty two days (10 day then 12 day collection periods) with a 346 and 307 examinations, were respectively completed by the participants. Radiographer image description content was compared against emergency department doctors and radiologists reports using a previously defined content tool by two research co-ordinator radiographers not participating in the clinical testing sequence to avoid arbiter bias. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values were calculated. Kappa statistics (Cohen, Gwet and Byrt et al. variations) were used to establish variability between radiographers and emergency doctors with radiologists. Results: Mean radiographer performance after the collection periods matched those reported about radiographer interpretation outside Australia. Results showed no statistically significant differences between the radiographers and emergency department doctors as groups, within Cohen Kappa and Gwet's AC-1 statistic (p = 0.975 and p = 0.972 respectively) and marginally statistically significant in the Byrt et al. measurement (p = 0.047). Radiographers showed strong agreement with emergency doctors and conjointly found more abnormalities before referral for report to the radiologist. Conclusion: With appropriate education and clinical contact no significant difference between these Australian radiographers and emergency doctors was noted.