Visual skill. Correlation with detection of solitary pulmonary nodules

A series of visual tests was administered to 65 individuals: 9 Board-certified radiologists, 41 radiology residents, and 15 fourth-year medical students on the senior radiology elective. Results of these visual tests were compared with performance in detection of solitary pulmonary nodules. Among radiology residents or board-certified radiologists, no correlation was found between performance on tests of visual perception and the ability to correctly locate pulmonary nodules. A correlation between visual test scores and nodule detection was evident among medical students. These findings suggest that factors other than skill in visual perception determine a radiologist's ability to correctly identify solitary pulmonary nodules.