Routine abdominal and pelvic ultrasound examinations: an audit comparing radiographers and radiologists

An audit of 202 routine abdominal and pelvic ultrasound examinations was carried out to evaluate the clinical performance and interpretation of these scans by radiographers and compare them with radiologists, and to investigate the extended role of radiographers in performing these scans. Each scan was first performed by a radiographer and then repeated by the radiologist. The findings were subsequently compared and any discrepancy resolved by re-scanning the patient with or without the involvement of an independent radiologist, or by follow-up of the patient by other imaging studies. In 158 (78.2%) scans, there was complete agreement between the radiographer's and radiologist's findings. In 44 scans (21.8%), there was incomplete agreement--there were 108 abnormal findings in these scans with incomplete agreement/discrepancy in 53 abnormalities. Overall, the accuracy of radiographers was 92.0% and radiologists was 91.7%; however, the accuracy rates were 94.0% and 96.4%, respectively, when minor abnormal findings without significant influence on the patient's clinical outcome were excluded.