COMPARING THE COMPLIANCE OF BRAIN CT SCAN INTERPRETATIONS OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE PHYSICIANS WITH RADIOLOGISTS REPORTS

Background and Aim : Since access to radiologists at any time of a day is not possible in allhealth centers, the ability to evaluate and interpret brain CT scans is necessary for emergencymedicine physicians. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and functionality of brainCT scan interpretation of the emergency medicine team.Methods : In this observational, analytical and sectional study, brain CT scans of 150 patientswith head trauma were examined and compared during six months in Hashemi Nejad hospital.Emergency physicians have recorded their interpretations of the disease after that Radiologistrecorded their diagnosis by using PACS system simultaneously or after a short time. To specifythe degree of compliance of these CT scans interpretations, the kappa coefficient used.Results : Reports of Brain CT scan by Emergency physicians consistent with the radiologistfindings in 131 reports out of 150 reports (87.3%). In 19 cases (12.6%), the results wereinconsistent; in 11 cases (7.3%) the findings were false negative, and in 8 (5.3%) findings werefalse positive. The obtained kappa coefficient was 0.7 (P <0.001), which indicates that theagreement was acceptable.Conclusion : The results indicate the acceptable skill of emergency physicians in the interpretat ionof brain CT scans. However, due to its high sensitivity and to minimize errors in clinica linterpretation, teaching basic concepts of radiology to emergency physicians by professors ofmedicine or radiologist seems necessary.