Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30963278›Full record

Observational studyEuropean radiology2019

Computed tomographic colonography: how many and how fast should radiologists report?

Anu E Obaro, Andrew A Plumb, Michael P North, Steve Halligan, David N Burling

Open access · hybridAbstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in European radiology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 35% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. CT colonography: revisited after 30 years.Insights into imaging · 2025
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Anu E ObaroCentre for Medical Imaging, Podium Level 2, University College London Hospital, Euston Rd, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
Andrew A PlumbCentre for Medical Imaging, Podium Level 2, University College London Hospital, Euston Rd, London, NW1 2BU, UK. andrew.plumb@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1322-5113
Michael P NorthSt Mark's Academic Institute, St Mark's Hospital, Harrow, UK.
Steve HalliganCentre for Medical Imaging, Podium Level 2, University College London Hospital, Euston Rd, London, NW1 2BU, UK.
David N BurlingSt Mark's Academic Institute, St Mark's Hospital, Harrow, UK.
University College Hospital · GBSt Mark's Hospital · GB

Funding

Other Please see disclosure statement
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo determine if polyp detection at computed tomographic colonography (CTC) is associated with (a) the number of CTC examinations interpreted per day and (b) the length of time spent scrutinising the scan.

methodsRetrospective observational study from two hospitals. We extracted Radiology Information System data for CTC examinations from Jan 2012 to Dec 2015. For each examination, we determined how many prior CTCs had been interpreted by the reporting radiologist on that day and how long radiologists spent on interpretation. For each radiologist, we calculated their referral rate (proportion deemed positive for 6 mm+ polyp/cancer), positive predictive value (PPV) and endoscopic/surgically proven polyp detection rate (PDR). We also calculated the mean time each radiologist spent interpreting normal studies ("negative interpretation time"). We used multilevel logistic regression to investigate the relationship between the number of scans reported each day, negative interpretation time and referral rate, PPV and PDR.

resultsFive thousand one hundred ninety-one scans were interpreted by seven radiologists; 892 (17.2%) were reported as positive, and 534 (10.3%) had polyps confirmed. Both referral rate and PDR reduced as more CTCs were reported on a given day (p < 0.001), the odds reducing by 7% for each successive CTC interpreted. Radiologists reporting more slowly than their colleagues detected more polyps (p = 0.028), with each 16% increase in interpretation time associated with a 1% increase in PDR. PPV was unaffected.

conclusionsReporting multiple CTCs on a given day and rapid CTC interpretation are associated with decreased polyp detection. Radiologists should be protected from requirements to report too many CTCs or too quickly. KEY POINTS: • CT colonography services should protect radiologists from a need to report too fast (> 20 min per case) or for too long (> 4 cases consecutively without a break). • Professional bodies should consider introducing a target minimum interpretation time for CT colonography examinations as a quality marker.

Indexed as

AlgorithmsClinical CompetenceColonic PolypsColonography, Computed TomographicColorectal NeoplasmsEpidemiologic MethodsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPractice Patterns, Physicians'RadiologistsColorectal neoplasmsComputed tomographic colonographyDiagnostic errorsFatigueWorkflow

Identifiers

PMID30963278
PMCPMC6795616
OpenAlexW2937157650

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.