Barry Carver, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Cranial CT Reporting for Radiographers was launched as a post graduate module at UWB in March 2002. This was intended to address service needs caused by the shortage of radiologists, and to further radiographer role development.

Two assessment methods are used within the module, an OSCE and a clinical portfolio. The completed assessments from four cohorts of students are examined, the portfolio contains comments from the mentor radiologists, which are also analysed to compare with the radiographer reports given.

23 students have been assessed by April 2004, a further 16 sets of results will be available for analysis in late June 2004. So far – all have been successful in OSCE – no errors which would have altered patient treatment have been reported.4800 reports from portfolios have been examined, an accuracy rate of 97.2% is seen.Less than 1% of disagreements with the radiologist mentor report would change patient treatment – most of these changes involve recommendations for follow up scans, either MR or CT with contrast.

Results abtained thus far are comparable with analyses of interobsever reliability amongst Radiologists.These results suggest that Cranial CT Reporting by Radiographers is a viable way forward both to address staff shortages and provide another pathway for Radiographer role development.

B.C.: lecturer at research site

Carver, B, Is Cranial CT Reporting by Radiographers a Feasible Option to Assist Radiologist Workload and Provide a Route for Radiographer Role Extension?.  Radiological Society of North America 2004 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28 - December 3, 2004 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2004/4417477.html