Observer Variability and the Performance between Faculties and Residents: US Criteria for Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules.
10.3348/kjr.2010.11.2.149
- Author:
Sung Hun KIM
1
;
Chang Suk PARK
;
So Lyung JUNG
;
Bong Joo KANG
;
Jee Young KIM
;
Jae Jung CHOI
;
Ye Il KIM
;
Jin Kyung OH
;
Jung Suk OH
;
Hanna KIM
;
Seung Hee JEONG
;
Hyeon Woo YIM
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon 403-720, Korea. blounse@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Thyroid Nodule;
Ultrasonography;
Observer variation;
Faculty;
Internship and Residency
- MeSH:
Adult;
Aged;
Clinical Competence/*statistics & numerical data;
Diagnosis, Differential;
Faculty, Medical/*statistics & numerical data;
Female;
Humans;
Internship and Residency/*statistics & numerical data;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Observer Variation;
ROC Curve;
Radiology/education;
Retrospective Studies;
Sensitivity and Specificity;
Thyroid Gland/ultrasonography;
Thyroid Neoplasms/*ultrasonography
- From:Korean Journal of Radiology
2010;11(2):149-155
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the interobserver variability and performance in the interpretation of ultrasonographic (US) findings of thyroid nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 72 malignant nodules and 61 benign nodules were enrolled as part of this study. Five faculty radiologists and four residents independently performed a retrospective analysis of the US images. The observers received one training session after the first interpretation and then performed a secondary interpretation. Agreement was analyzed by Cohen's kappa statistic. Degree of performance was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Agreement between the faculties was fair-to-good for all criteria; however, between residents, agreement was poor-to-fair. The area under the ROC curves was 0.72, 0.62, and 0.60 for the faculties, senior residents, and junior residents, respectively. There was a significant difference in performance between the faculties and the residents (p < 0.05). There was a significant increase in the agreement for some criteria in the faculties and the senior residents after the training session, but no significant increase in the junior residents. CONCLUSION: Independent reporting of thyroid US performed by residents is undesirable. A continuous and specialized resident training is essential to enhance the degree of agreement and performance.
