Influence of obtaining medical records and laboratory data on the sensitivity of diagnostic imaging assessment by radiological technologists

The purpose of this study is to clarify the influence of acquiring medical record information and laboratory data on the sensitivity of detecting imaging findings among Japanese radiological technologists (RTs). RTs were presented with patient's information in three distinct sequences for detecting imaging findings. True positives (TP) were identified and categorized into three groups: Group 1 (image + chief complaint), Group 2 (image + chief complaint + medical record), and Group 3 (image + chief complaint + medical record + laboratory data). Compared with Group 1, Groups 2 and 3 exhibited up to 8.3% and 16.7% higher sensitivity, respectively. Notably, Group 3 demonstrated up to 13.3% higher sensitivity than that of Group 2. Obtaining medical record information and laboratory data improved the sensitivity of imaging findings detected by RTs. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing diagnostic protocols and improving patient outcomes by leveraging supplementary clinical data to augment diagnostic accuracy.