AJR. American journal of roentgenology
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Jun 2018
Novel Quality Indicators for Radiologists Interpreting Abdominopelvic CT Images: Risk-Adjusted Outcomes Among Emergency Department Patients With Right Lower Quadrant Pain.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether individual radiologists are predictive of important relevant health outcomes among emergency department (ED) patients undergoing abdominopelvic CT for right lower quadrant pain. ⋯ Individual radiologists were indistinguishable both within group and between group by emergency and abdominal specialization for the prediction of major patient outcomes after abdominopelvic CT performed for right lower quadrant pain in the ED.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Jun 2018
Effect of Combined 68Ga-PSMAHBED-CC Uptake Pattern and Multiparametric MRI Derived With Simultaneous PET/MRI in the Diagnosis of Primary Prostate Cancer: Initial Experience.
The purpose of this study is to assess whether temporal changes in 68Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-HBED-CC uptake and multiparametric MRI parameters derived using PET/MRI can aid in characterization of benign and malignant prostate lesions. ⋯ Dual-phase PSMA uptake improves accuracy of classifying malignant versus benign prostate lesions and complements multiparametric MRI in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Jun 2018
Multicenter StudyTomosynthesis Impact on Breast Cancer Screening in Patients Younger Than 50 Years Old.
The question of benefits versus harms of breast cancer screening for women younger than 50 years old has been the subject of debate. We investigate if the addition of tomosynthesis to mammography improves screening performance outcomes for women in this age group. ⋯ Tomosynthesis in a community setting resulted in decreased recall rates for patients younger than 50 years old. For the subgroup of women with dense breast tissue, cancer detection rates also increased.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Jun 2018
Comparative StudyComparison Between Image-Guided and Landmark-Based Glenohumeral Joint Injections for the Treatment of Adhesive Capsulitis: A Cost-Effectiveness Study.
The purpose of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of landmark-based and image-guided intraarticular steroid injections for the initial treatment of a population with adhesive capsulitis. ⋯ Ultrasound-guided injections are the most cost-effective option for the initial steroid-based treatment of patients with adhesive capsulitis. Blind and fluoroscopy-guided injections can also be cost-effective when performed by a clinician likely to accurately administer the medication into the correct location.
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The field of cognitive science has provided important insights into mental processes underlying the interpretation of imaging examinations. Despite these insights, diagnostic error remains a major obstacle in the goal to improve quality in radiology. In this article, we describe several types of cognitive bias that lead to diagnostic errors in imaging and discuss approaches to mitigate cognitive biases and diagnostic error. ⋯ Radiologists rely on heuristic principles to reduce complex tasks of assessing probabilities and predicting values into simpler judgmental operations. These mental shortcuts allow rapid problem solving based on assumptions and past experiences. Heuristics used in the interpretation of imaging studies are generally helpful but can sometimes result in cognitive biases that lead to significant errors. An understanding of the causes of cognitive biases can lead to the development of educational content and systematic improvements that mitigate errors and improve the quality of care provided by radiologists.