Reducing Costs of Breast Examination: Ultrasound Performance and Inter-Observer Variability of Expert Radiologists Versus Residents.

AIM: To compare efficiency levels between radiologist and radiology resident and any significant or clinically relevant differences in breast ultrasound diagnosis, thus reducing extra costs.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: 100 patients attending for breast ultrasound were included. Each patient was examined by a radiologist, and subsequently by a resident of the radiology department. Both operators noted their findings and wrote a concluding report. Reports were compared for histological and biological analysis.

RESULTS: 100 female patients with a mean age about 49 years were examined. The proportions of correct diagnoses of lesions individuated by radiologist and resident were 26.90 > 13.71% (p-value = 10.7), i.e. the radiologist was more accurate in comparison to resident in the individuation of breast lesions.

CONCLUSIONS: The radiologist was more accurate in comparison to radiology resident in the evaluation of breast pathology in ultrasonography diagnoses, and this could reduce cost and/or in-depth analysis.