An Analysis of the Rate and Reasons for Rejected Radiographs in Emergency and Non-emergency Radiology Departments in Yasuj, Iran

Seyyed Amir  Moradian; Hamed  Zamani; Saman  Dalvand

doi:10.18502/fbt.v12i1.17737

Seyyed Amir Moradian Student Research Committee, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
Hamed Zamani Medical Physics Department, Medical School, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Saman Dalvand Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/fbt.v12i1.17737

Keywords: Rejection Rate; Rejection Reasons; Radiograph Analysis; Radiograph Quality.

Abstract

Purpose: Utilizing imaging to improve physicians' diagnostic accuracy is one of the primary priorities of radiology departments. When the image is of poor quality, it is likely to be rejected, and its repetition will expose patients and staff to unnecessary ionizing radiation. Given the significant nature of this issue, the current study aimed to evaluate the rate and reasons for radiograph rejections in emergency (public practice) and non-emergency (private practice) radiology departments of Yasuj, Iran.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out over 14 days in Yasuj, Iran, in the accident and emergency (round-the-clock) and non-emergency (day) medical imaging departments. In terms of quality, a total of 7,006 images were classified into the following three grades; A (Good), B (Fair), and C (rejected). The grade C radiographs were categorized into 9 classes according to the reasons for rejection.

Results: During this study, 7,006 radiographs were examined, of which 6,458 (92.2%) were categorized as grade A. Additionally, 401 radiographs (5.7%) were categorized as grade B, and 147 radiographs (2.1%) were considered to be grade C, which means that they were rejected. Out of the rejected radiographs, 69 (1.9%) were from emergency departments, while 78 (2.3%) were from non-emergency radiology departments. The most common reasons for the rejection of radiographs were the patient's incorrect positioning in 45 cases (30.6%) and the patient's motion in 43 cases (29.3%).

Conclusion: In comparison to previous research, the current study's percentage of rejected images was deemed acceptable. Radiologists are advised to frequently assess the reason and rate for rejecting radiographs to enhance the effectiveness of their radiology unit.