J Korean Soc Radiol.  2010 Nov;63(5):431-438. 10.3348/jksr.2010.63.5.431.

The First Report on Evaluating the Thoracic Radiology of the Medical Institutions for Pneumoconiosis in Korea

• Lee WJ
• Park JS
• Kim SJ
• Ko KS
• Chu SD
• Park SY
• Choi BS

• KMID: 2097913
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2010.63.5.431

Abstract

PURPOSE
The pnuemoconiotic findings on chest radiograph for pneumoconiosis are affected by the technique, the equipment and the reading environment. We report here on the results of evaluating the thoracic radiology of the Medical Institutions for Pneumoconiosis (MIPs).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
For the first time, we visited the MIPs to evaluate the thoracic radiography that is used to treat patients with pneumoconiotic complications, and this included evaluating the equipment and the technical parameters for thoracic radiography, the computed tomography, the education for quality assurance health care and the reading environment. We used the guideline published by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute (OSHRI). Ten images were randomly picked from the MIPs for evaluating the image quality, and then these were rated by two experienced chest radiologists for pneumoconiosis according to thecriteria of the OSHRI.
RESULTS
Of the 33 institutions, the failed group (mean<60) scored 36.4% for radiological technique (RT),30.3% for image quality (IQ) and 21.2% for the reading environment (RE). There were statistically significantly differences between the passed and failed groups for RT (75.8 +/- 9.1 vs. 40.8 +/- 13.6, p<0.001), for IQ (68.3 +/- 5.8 vs. 47.8 +/- 9.4, p<0.001) and for RE (78.3 +/- 15.8 vs. 18.3 +/- 21.9, p<0.001). The group that received education was significantly higher for the RT (68.7 vs. 53.2, p=0.032), the IQ (65.3 vs. 56.6, p=0.039) and the RE(76.2 vs. 47.0, p=0.005) than that for the group that didn't receive education.
CONCLUSION
The MIPs need surveillance and education for improving the quality assurance health care in thoracic radiography for treating patients with pneumoconiosis and who have complications.

MeSH Terms

Academies and Institutes
Delivery of Health Care
Humans
Korea
Occupational Health
Pneumoconiosis
Radiography, Thoracic
Thorax

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Graph shows that frequency between passed and failed groups in RT (Radiological technique), IQ (Image quality) and RE (Reading environment). Mean score of RT is statistically significantly higher in passed group than that in failed group (75.8 ± 9.1 vs. 40.8 ± 13.6, p<0.001). Mean score of IQ is statistically significantly higher in passed group than that in failed group (68.3 ± 5.8 vs. 47.8 ± 9.4, p<0.001). Mean score of RE is statistically significantly higher in passed group than that in failed group (78.3 ± 15.8 vs. 18.3 ± 21.9, p<0.001).

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  Fig. 2 Educated institutions showed significant high scores in RT (68.7 vs. 53.2, p=0.032), IQ (65.3 vs. 56.6, p=0.039) and RE (76.2 vs. 47.0, p=0.005) than uneducated institutions. (▪) uneducated institutions, (□) Educated institutions. * ; p<0.05, ** ; p<0.01

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  Fig. 3 This medical institution for pneumoconiosis was not using the grid. The score of RT and IQ were 28.6, 43.3, respectively.

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  Fig. 4 The chest image digitized from analog radiograph found that a defect of technical quality which was not completely shown at the chest wall and costophrenic angle of right side (IQ score=38.2).

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