title: Visual memory effects on intraoperator study design: determining a minimum time gap between case reviews to reduce recall bias.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this research was to determine test intervals between intraoperator case reviews to minimize the impact of recall.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three pathologists were presented with a group of 120 slides and subsequently challenged with a study set of 120 slides after 2-week and 4-week intervals. The challenge set consisted of 60 slides seen during the initial review and 60 slides previously unseen within the study. Pathologists rendered a diagnosis for each slide and indicated whether they recalled seeing the slide previously (yes/no).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two weeks after having been shown 60 cases from a challenge set of 120 cases, the pathologists correctly remembered 26, 22, and 24 cases or 40% overall. After 4 weeks, the pathologists correctly recalled 31% of cases previously seen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pathologists were capable of recalling from memory cases seen previously at 2 and 4 weeks. Recall rates may be sufficiently high to affect intraobserver study design.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Microbiology and wcampbel@unmc.edu.
authors.forename: W Scott
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Microbiology and.
authors.forename: Geoffrey A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Talmon
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Microbiology and.
authors.forename: Kirk W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Microbiology and.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, Center for Collaboration on Research, Design and Analysis, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha.
authors.forename: Lynette M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology and Microbiology and.
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hinrichs
mesh_terms: D015982:Bias; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D048088:Informatics; D011939:Mental Recall; D010338:Pathology, Clinical; D012107:Research Design; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Basic science; Education; Informatics