title: Effect of specialty and experience on the interpretation of knee MRI scans.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate any differences in the accuracy of knee MRI interpretation between radiology and orthopaedic surgery residents as well as to evaluate differences in quality of interpretation relative to resident training level. In this study, 20 MRI scans demonstrating specific pathology of the knee were identified. From one institution, two radiology residents and two orthopaedic surgery residents of each postgraduate year (PGY) of training (2 to 5) were recruited. Each resident was asked to interpret all the studies and choose up to 16 diagnoses for each scan from the list provided. Orthopaedic surgery residents showed improvement in overall accuracy and specificity with each year of additional training. Level of training did not correspond with increased sensitivity in the orthopaedic residents tested. Radiology residents did not demonstrate a consistent trend toward improved accuracy, sensitivity, or specificity with additional years of training. The only statistically significant differences in specificity observed between the two groups were seen in the readings of ACL tears, lateral femoral condyle chondromalacia, and chondromalacia patella. This study found that the accuracy of knee MRI interpretations between radiology and orthopaedic surgery residents did not demonstrate any differences. Level of training had no effect on the interpretation of the MRIs by radiology residents. Orthopaedic surgery residents did show an improvement with each year of additional training.
authors.affiliation: Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University, NYU Langone Medical Center, 530 First Avenue, New York, New York 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Allis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.forename: Laith
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jazrawi
authors.forename: Charbel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ishak
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meislin
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kummer
authors.forename: Orrin H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Sherman
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015588:Observer Variation; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000193:education; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000078329:Workforce