X-ray film interpretation by hospital outpatient departments and primary health care center physicians in Dammam, Saudi Arabia

The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of x-ray film interpretation by nonradiologist physicians. This was a cross-sectional study based on data collected using a structured check list from a sample of 863 x-ray films requested and interpreted by physicians working in the outpatient departments of Dammam Central Hospital, and in five primary health care centers in Dammam city, Saudi Arabia. The check-list was used to compare the physicians' interpretations of x-ray films requested with those made by an experienced consultant radiologist. Physicians' interpretations were classified as concordant or discordant with those of the radiologist. Factors affecting those interpretations were assessed. Physicians from both the hospital and primary health care centers were discordant with the radiologist in 20.0% and 22.2% of x-ray films interpreted. There were significant positive correlations of physicians' interpretations with physicians' handwriting and completeness of patient information on the request forms, quality of x-ray films and adequacy of x-ray film views. Also, there were significant negative correlations of interpretations with chest and head and neck x-ray films. The study reveals a significant need for training of hospital and primary health care physicians in diagnostic radiology.