Checklists for interpreting chest radiographs: a scoping review protocol

Area of Science:

• Radiology and Medical Imaging
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Standardized checklists can enhance the quality and consistency of chest X-ray reporting.
• Checklists may reduce the time required for comprehensive radiological reports.
• Existing literature on checklists for chest radiograph interpretation needs comprehensive mapping.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review mapping the available literature on checklists for interpreting chest radiographs.
• To identify existing checklists and their reported impact on diagnostic accuracy and reporting efficiency.
• To inform the development of a novel checklist for chest radiograph interpretation in settings lacking on-site radiologists.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review following the Arksey and O'Malley framework.
• Inclusion of articles on checklists for diagnostic error reduction, chest radiograph analysis, abnormality identification, and reporting.
• Systematic search of peer-reviewed articles and grey literature (1994-2022) in English, using terms like 'chest radiographs,' 'checklists,' and 'chest X-rays.'
• Two-level screening (title/abstract, full-text) by two reviewers, data extraction using a tested form, and charting per Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines.

Main Results:

• Collation and narrative/tabular summarization of findings from included articles.
• Quantitative analysis to identify knowledge gaps and trends in checklist development and application.
• Content analysis to map the variety of checklists available for chest interpretation.

Conclusions:

• The review will provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on chest radiograph interpretation checklists.
• Identified knowledge gaps will guide future research and development in this area.
• The ultimate goal is to develop a practical checklist for medical doctors and radiographers in settings without immediate radiologist support.