Do radiographs requested from a paediatric emergency department in New Zealand need reporting?
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain whether plain radiographs interpreted by doctors working in a paediatric ED need reporting by radiologists.


METHODS
Prospective observational study based in a paediatric teaching hospital.


RESULTS
The overall disagreement rate was 26.1%. The clinically significant disagreement rate was 4.8%. There was no relationship between seniority or confidence of ED doctor, and likelihood of disagreement. Disagreement was more likely where radiographs were interpreted during normal working hours (P < 0.05). Chest films, then abdominal films, then skeletal films were more likely to result in disagreement (P < 0.0001). However, this relationship was reversed when considering rates of clinically significant disagreement (P < 0.05). The highest risk of disagreement was in chest films initially thought to be normal, and the lowest in skeletal films initially thought to be abnormal.


CONCLUSIONS
All radiographs requested on patients discharged from the paediatric ED should be reported. Reporting need not be immediate.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand. thehiggis@doctors.org.uk
Ian
I
Higginson
Sally
S
Vogel
John
J
Thompson
Richard
R
Aickin
D002648:Child; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011871:Radiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018570:Risk Assessment