The 60-Film Set with 8-index for Examining Physicians' Proficiency in Reading Pneumoconiosis Chest X-rays

The 60-film set was developed by experts (Expert Group) for examining 8 indices: sensitivity (X-1) and specificity (X-2) for pneumoconiosis, sensitivity(X-3) and specificity for (X-4) large opacities, sensitivity (X-5) and specificity (X-6) for pleural plaque, profusion increment consistency for small opacities (X-7), and shape differentiation for small opacities (X-8) of physicians' reading skills on pneumoconiosis X-ray according to ILO 2000 Classification. The aim of this study was to assess the appropriateness of the exam film set for evaluating physicians' reading skills. 29 physicians (A1-Group) and 24 physicians (A2-Group) attended the 1st and 2nd Asian Intensive Reader of Pneumoconioses (AIR Pneumo) training course, respectively, and 22 physicians (B-Group) attended Brazilian training course. After training, they took examination of reading 60-film exam set. The examinees' reading results in terms of 8 indices were compared between the examinee groups and the Expert Group by parametric unpaired t-test. The Examinee Group consisting of A1-Group, A2-Group and B-Group was inferior to the Expert Group in all indices. There was no significant difference for X-7 of A1-Group, X-7 and X-8 of A2-Group (p > 0.05) compared with the Expert Group. There was a significant difference in X-8 at p < 0.05 between A1-Group and A2-Group, in X-3 at p<0.05 between A1-Group and B-Group, in both X-1 and in X-3 at p<0.05 between A2-Group and B-Group. Accordingly, the 60-film set providing 8 indices designed might be a good method for evaluation of the physicians' reading proficiency at different training settings.