Introduction: Elbow fractures are common paediatric injuries that are often misdiagnosed. Quality imaging and accurate interpretation are essential to avoid complications which can result in growth disturbance.
Aim: This study aimed to determine error rates of elbow injuries by medical doctors in the paediatric department in Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital.
Method: A total of 28 doctors participated in the study. Twenty preselected radiographs (10 normal and 10 abnormal) were projected in a PowerPoint slide show, and the doctors completed a tick sheet to assess whether the X-ray was normal or not. This was followed by a 20-minute tutorial on the approach to paediatric elbow X-rays. Then the same images were projected in a different sequence and with a more detailed tick sheet for the readers to evaluate.
Results: The detection rate of elbow fractures by paediatric doctors is poor. Although there was an improvement in the detection of fractures before (50.7%) and after (53.9%) the tutorial, the difference was not statistically significant (paired t-test; p = 0.16).
Conclusion: The paediatric elbow is a common site where pathology is missed on X-rays. The study showed that the detection rate of elbow fractures by the paediatric doctors is poor, even after a tutorial on the radiological features. We recommend ongoing in-service training of clinicians to maximise the detection of fractures.
How to cite this article: Magano G. Pillay T. Lucus S. Paediatric doctors’ error rate in detection of paediatric elbow injuries in Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital. S Afr J Rad. 2017;21(1), a1124. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajr.v21i1.1124
Note: A selection of conference abstracts: RSSA/SASPI Paediatric Imaging Congress, 03–06 November 2016, Spier Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Faculty collaborators: Professor Kassa Darge (Body Imaging, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA), Professor Edward Lee (Thoracic Imaging, Harvard University, USA), Professor Beverley Newman (Cardiac Imaging, Stanford University, California, USA), Professor Kimberly Applegate (Image Gently and Body Imaging, Emory University, Atlanta, USA) and Professor Savvas Andronikou (Thoracic Imaging, University of Bristol, UK) supported by South African Paediatric Radiologists, co-ordinated by Dr. Jaishree Naidoo, President of the African Society of Paediatric Imaging and Head of Division of Paediatric Radiology, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.