title: Radiographers' performance in chest X-ray interpretation: the Nigerian experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the performance of Nigerian radiographers in interpretation of plain chest radiographs and to assess whether age, years since qualification and sector of practice are associated with performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  A test set of 50 radiographs containing 23 cases with no pathology (normal) and 27 abnormal cases (cardiopulmonary conditions) independently confirmed by 3 radiologists were presented to 51 radiographers in a random order. Readers independently evaluated radiographs for absence or presence of disease and stated the location, radiographic features and diagnosis. Readers self-reported their age, years since qualification and sector of practice. Receiver operating characteristic was used to assess the performance. Mann-Whitney U test was used to assess whether age, years since qualification and sector of practice were associated with performance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean location sensitivity was 88.9 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.787-0.980]. Mean sensitivity and specificity were 76.9 (95% CI, 0.658-0.864) and 79.8 (95% CI, 0.658-0.864), respectively. Age was not associated with performance (p = 0.07). Number of years qualified as radiographer (p = 0.005) and private practice (p = 0.004) were positively associated with performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nigerian radiographers can correctly report chest radiographs to a reasonable standard, and performance is associated with number of years since qualification and the sector of practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are less than 300 radiologists serving a Nigerian population of about 170 million; therefore, X-ray interpretation by radiographers deserves consideration. Nigerian radiographers have potential to interpret chest X-ray in the clinical setting, and this may significantly improve radiology service delivery in this region.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiography and Radiology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
authors.forename: E U
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: Ekpo
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiography and Radiology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
authors.forename: N O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Egbe
authors.affiliation: 2 Clinical Applications Unit, GE Healthcare, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Akpan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011331:Private Practice; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D011871:Radiology; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult