Methods employed for chest radiograph interpretation education for radiographers: A systematic review of the literature

Abstract

Objectives: This systematic review aimed to determine the strength of evidence available in the literature on the effect of training to develop the skills required by radiographers to interpret plain radiography chest images.

Key findings: Thirteen articles feature within the review. Sample size varied from one reporting radiographer to 148 radiography students/experienced radiographers. The quality of the articles achieved a mean score of 7.5/10, indicating the evidence is strong and the quality of studies in this field is high. Investigative approaches included audit of participants' performance in clinical practice post formal training, evaluation of informal training and the impact of short feedback sessions on performance.

Conclusion: All studies demonstrated positive attributions on user performance. Using a combination of training techniques can help maximise learning and accommodate those with different preferred learning types.

Keywords: Chest; Education; Image interpretation; Radiography; Reporting; Training.