Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test a scoring system and its utility for the assessment of the clinical significance of radiological examinations.
Material and methods: The reports of all diagnostic studies obtained in patients with a clinical suspicion of pancreatitis, urinary tract obstruction, biliary or gallbladder diseases, ileus and gastrointestinal perforation were scored prospectively in 4 categories from 0 to 3. These categories were related to the ability to establish a definite diagnosis, to exclude suspected disease, to influence further diagnostic work-up and therapeutic decision-making.
Results: This scoring system showed significant differences of the efficacy of different imaging modalities in these 5 clinical settings.
Conclusion: This scoring system was helpful to determine the clinical significance of radiological examinations.