Cranial diffusion-MRI interpretation: comparison of emergency medicine and radiology residents

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Today diagnosis and treatment of ischaemic stroke is based on cranial CT and MR. The aim\xa0of this study is to measure the ability of emergency medical and radiology resident physicians to evaluate\xa0brain diffusion MRI and to provide better and faster recognition of the vital condition of acute ischaemic\xa0cerebrovascular infarct patients.\xa0 MATERIAL AND METHODS: 10 radiology and 10 emergency medicine residents were enrolled in the study. Of\xa0the 50 brain diffusion MRIs interpreted by trainees, 3 were normal, 13 had cerebral infarct, 27 had lacunar\xa0infarct, 3 had brain mass, 2 had hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, 1 had MS and 1 had dermoid cyst. Each\xa0participant evaluated 50 digital diffusion MR images sequentially. They were asked to indicate whether there\xa0was a pathological lesion on the images, if the lesion was acute or chronic, what was the localization of the\xa0lesion, and ultimately the possible preliminary diagnosis.\xa0 RESULTS: Experienced radiology resident physicians are found to be more accurate in determining MR results\xa0in comparison to their inexperienced colleagues in cerebral and lacunar infarcts (p 0.05). Radiology residents outperformed\xa0emergency residents in both cerebral and lacunar infarct and non-infarct images (p < 0.01).\xa0 CONCLUSIONS: In the study authors’ opinion training and education is a must for MRI interpretation for\xa0emergency residents which might be vital for ischaemic cerebrovascular patients.