Association between clinical history in the radiographic request and diagnostic accuracy of thorax radiographs in dogs: A retrospective case-control study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The effect of clinical history on the interpretation of radiographs has been widely researched in human medicine. There is, however, no data on this topic in veterinary medicine. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Diagnostic accuracy would improve when history was supplied. ANIMALS: Thirty client-owned dogs with abnormal findings on thoracic radiographs and confirmation of the disease, and 30 healthy client-owned controls were drawn retrospectively. METHODS: Retrospective case-control study. Sixty radiographic studies of the thorax were randomized and interpreted by 6 radiologists; first, with no access to the clinical information; and a second time with access to all pertinent clinical information and signalment. RESULTS: A significant increase in diagnostic accuracy was noted when clinical information was provided (64.4% without and 75.2% with clinical information; P = .002). There was no significant difference in agreement between radiologists when comparing no clinical information and with clinical information (Kappa 0.313 and 0.300, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The addition of pertinent clinical information to the radiographic request significantly improves the diagnostic accuracy of thorax radiographs of dogs and is recommended as standard practice.