Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32532784›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2020

Generating high-quality data abstractions from scanned clinical records: text-mining-assisted extraction of endometrial carcinoma pathology features as proof of principle.

Anthony Nguyen, John O'Dwyer, Thanh Vu, Penelope M Webb, Sharon E Johnatty, Amanda B Spurdle

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2020. 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
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

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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

6 authors.

Anthony NguyenThe Australian e-Health Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia anthony.nguyen@csiro.au.ORCID 0000-0002-6215-6954
John O'DwyerThe Australian e-Health Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Thanh VuThe Australian e-Health Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Penelope M WebbDepartment of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Sharon E JohnattyDepartment of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Amanda B SpurdleDepartment of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveMedical research studies often rely on the manual collection of data from scanned typewritten clinical records, which can be laborious, time consuming and error prone because of the need to review individual clinical records. We aimed to use text mining to assist with the extraction of clinical features from complex text-based scanned pathology records for medical research studies.

designText mining performance was measured by extracting and annotating three distinct pathological features from scanned photocopies of endometrial carcinoma clinical pathology reports, and comparing results to manually abstracted terms. Inclusion and exclusion keyword trigger terms to capture leiomyomas, endometriosis and adenomyosis were provided based on expert knowledge. Terms were expanded with character variations based on common optical character recognition (OCR) error patterns as well as negation phrases found in sample reports. The approach was evaluated on an unseen test set of 1293 scanned pathology reports originating from laboratories across Australia.

settingScanned typewritten pathology reports for women aged 18-79 years with newly diagnosed endometrial cancer (2005-2007) in Australia.

resultsHigh concordance with final abstracted codes was observed for identifying the presence of three pathology features (94%-98% F-measure). The approach was more consistent and reliable than manual abstractions, identifying 3%-14% additional feature instances.

conclusionKeyword trigger-based automation with OCR error correction and negation handling proved not only to be rapid and convenient, but also providing consistent and reliable data abstractions from scanned clinical records. In conjunction with manual review, it can assist in the generation of high-quality data abstractions for medical research studies.

Indexed as

Electronic Health RecordsAdolescentAdultAgedData MiningEndometrial NeoplasmsFemaleHumansMiddle AgedProof of Concept Studyhealth informaticsinformation technologyoncologypathology

Identifiers

PMID32532784
PMCPMC7295399

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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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.