Radiation Dose Overlay Improves Radiologists' Interpretation of Post-therapy Computed Tomography Imaging for Thoracic...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Radiation Oncology

Background:

• Diagnostic radiologists interpreting surveillance imaging for thoracic malignancies often lack access to radiation therapy dose visualizations.
• This lack of information can hinder accurate interpretation and reduce confidence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if access to radiation therapy dose visualizations improves diagnostic radiologists' accuracy and confidence in interpreting surveillance imaging for patients with thoracic malignancies.

Main Methods:

• A prospective analysis of retrospectively acquired data involved 32 imaging series of patients treated for thoracic malignancies.
• Radiologists interpreted computed tomography (CT) images with and without radiation dose overlays.
• Reader confidence and identification accuracy of treated lesions and treatment effects were assessed.

Main Results:

• Access to radiation dose visualization significantly increased the identification rate of treated lesions from 61% to 81% (P < .001).
• The improvement was most notable in cases with multiple treated lesions.
• Radiologist confidence increased from 4.1 to 4.8 (P < .001), and the need to consult patient charts decreased.

Conclusions:

• Providing diagnostic radiologists with radiation dose visualization enhances the correct identification of irradiated lesions and treatment effects.
• This access boosts radiologists' confidence in their interpretations of thoracic malignancy surveillance imaging.