Evaluation of Audiovisual Reports to Enhance Traditional Emergency Musculoskeletal Radiology Reports

Abstract

Traditional radiology reports are narrative texts that include a description of imaging findings. Recent implementation of advanced reporting software allows for incorporation of annotated key images and hyperlinks directly into text reports, but these tools usually do not substitute in-person consultations with radiologists, especially in challenging cases. Use of on-demand audio/visual reports with screen capture software is an emerging technology, providing a more engaged imaging service. Our study evaluates a video reporting tool that utilizes PACS integrated screen capture software for musculoskeletal imaging studies in the emergency department. Our hypothesis is that referring orthopedic surgeons would find that recorded audio/video reports add value to conventional reports, may increase engagement with radiology staff, and also facilitate understanding of imaging findings from urgent musculoskeletal cases. Seven radiologists prepared a total of 47 audiovisual reports for 9 attending orthopedic surgeons from the emergency department. We applied two surveys to evaluate the experience of the referring physicians using audio/visual reports as a complementary material from the conventional text report. Positive responses were statistically significant in most questions including: if the clinical suspicion was answered in the video; willingness to use such technology in other cases; if the audiovisual report made the imaging findings more understandable than the traditional report; and if the audiovisual report is faster to understand than the traditional text report. Use of audiovisual reports in emergency musculoskeletal cases is a new approach to evaluate potentially challenging cases. These results support the potential of this technology to re-establish the radiologist's role as an essential member of patient care and also provide more engaging, precise, and personalized reports. Further studies could streamline these methods in order to minimize work redundancy with traditional text reporting or even evaluate acceptance of using only audiovisual radiology reports. Additionally, widespread adoption would require integration with the entire radiology workflow including non-urgent cases and other medical specialties.

Keywords: Audio/video report; Audiovisual; Musculoskeletal; Radiology report; Radiology workflow; Software; Software design; Video recording; Web technology.

Fig. 1

Summarized steps of the workflow. 1: Acquisition of the CT or MRI images. 2: Case evaluation by the radiologist. 3: Creation and saving the text report and the audiovisual report. 4: Files are uploaded to PACS server. 5: Orthopedist reads the radiology text report and the watches the audiovisual report. 6: Clinical decision and patient orientation. After this final step, the orthopedic surgeons answer the questionnaires

Fig. 2

Distribution of answers given to questions 1, 3, and 6 of the questionnaire

Fig. 3

Physicians’ answers about the transmission of the audiovisual report to patients and their families in relation to number of evaluated cases

Fig. 4

Evaluation time of the audiovisual report in relation to the traditional one according to complexity of the case

Fig. 5

Distribution of answers given to questions of the second questionnaire