Introduction: Jersey General Hospital is working towards implementation of a radiographer Preliminary Clinical Evaluation (PCE) system in line with new professional guidance from the Society of Radiographers. Radiographer PCE is an informed comment on imaging appearances, intended to assist the referrer in interim between image acquisition and a definitive report. The aim is to utilise the expertise and experience of radiographers in identifying normal and abnormal image findings on trauma radiographs to maximise diagnostic
accuracy. Pilot Project Objectives:• Assess radiographer PCE
participation.
• Compare PCE accuracy to a
performance standard. Methods: Study Design & Setting: Prospective diagnostic performance study comparing PCE accuracy to a fixed standard. Standard: 92% accuracy, derived from prior research. Sample size calculation: 354 PCEs were required to adequately power the study. Conclusion: In conclusion, while a recent pilot study reported a PCE participation rate of 66%, our study’s overall rate was 44%, with a notable increase to 47.9% in the latter half, suggesting improved integration of PCE into routine practice. Additionally, our
accuracy of 89.3% compares favourably against recommended benchmarks of 80% (minimal), 90% (optimal), and 95% (ideal) for interpreting musculoskeletal
radiographs, and results of recent literature.
