Development of a Bronchoscopy-Radiologic Skills and Task Assessment Tool (BRadSTAT): A Tool for Evaluating the...

Competency using radiologic images for bronchoscopic navigation is presumed during subspecialty training, but no assessments objectively measure combined knowledge of radiologic interpretation and ability to maneuver a bronchoscope into peripheral airways.

The objectives of this study were (i) to determine whether the Bronchoscopy-Radiology Skills and Tasks Assessment Tool (BRadSTAT) discriminates between bronchoscopists of various levels of experience and (ii) to improve construct validity using study findings.

BRadSTAT contains 10 questions that assess chest X-ray and CT scan interpretation using multiple images per question and 2 technical skill assessments. After administration to 33 bronchoscopists (5 Beginners, 9 Intermediates, 10 Experienced, and 9 Experts), discriminative power was strengthened using differential weighting on CT-related questions, producing the BRadSTAT-CT score. Cut points for both scores were determined via cross-validation.

Mean BRadSTAT scores for Beginner, Intermediate, Experienced, and Expert were 74 (±13 SD), 78 (±14), 86 (±9), and 88 (±8), respectively. Statistically significant differences were noted between Expert and Beginner, Expert and Intermediate, and Experienced and Beginner (all p ≤ 0.05). Mean BRadSTAT-CT scores for Beginner, Intermediate, Experienced, and Expert were 63 (±14), 74 (±15), 82 (±13), and 90 (±9), respectively, all statistically significant (p ≤ 0.03). Cut points for BRadSTAT-CT had lower sensitivity but greater specificity and accuracy than for BRadSTAT.

BRadSTAT represents the first validated assessment tool measuring knowledge and skills for bronchoscopic access to peripheral airways, which discriminates between bronchoscopists of various experience levels. Refining BRadSTAT produced the BRadSTAT-CT, which had higher discriminative power. Future studies should focus on their usefulness in competency-based bronchoscopy programs.