A comparison of radiographer and radiologist reports on radiographer conducted barium enemas

Purpose: To compare radiographer and radiologist reports on radiographer conducted barium enemas. Method: Two specially trained, experienced radiographers performed barium enemas and prepared provisional reports without consulting radiologists. Later, formal radiologist reports were issued. The reports of each were compared and correlated with clinical findings derived from case note review. Results:Seven hundred and eighty eight patients had barium enemas. Males numbered 295 (37.5%) and females 493 (62.5%). Patients ages ranged from 17 to 95 years (mean 62). The radiologist reported 244 as normal, 432 as diverticular change, 70 with polyps (31 of which had co-existent diverticular disease), 31 with carcinomas and 12 with colitis (three of which had co-existent diverticular disease). Taking the radiologist reports as gold-standard radiographer reports were concordant in 753 (95.5%). There were 35 (4.5%) discordant radiographer reports of these 19 were false–positive diagnoses of polyps and six false positive diagnoses of diverticular change. There were seven false–negative diagnoses of polyps (only one of these was found to have a polyp at follow-up endoscopy). There was one false–negative diagnosis of colitis and two false–negative reports of diverticular change. On follow up there were no false negative diagnoses of carcinoma by either radiographer or radiologist. There was one concordant false–positive diagnosis of carcinoma. Conclusion:Radiographers with specialized training can report barium enemas to a high standard.