The use of lay readers of chest roentgenograms in industrial screening programs

A study was conducted to test the feasibility of training lay persons to screen chest x-ray films for professional readers in an industrial screening program and to use the International Labor Office classification of the pneumoconioses for silicosis. With minimal training the lay readers agreed with the professional readers on the presence or absence of silicosis in 72.6% of the films and missed only 3.2% of the silicosis identified by the professional readers. The lay readers were able to identify only 17.1% of the pathology other than silicosis; however, it appeared that they identified some of these conditions as silicosis. Considering this, the lay readers missed only 27.0% of the other pathologies. It was concluded that, with more extensive training, lay persons could be taught to screen chest X-ray films for professional readers in an industrial screening program.