The differential diagnosis of primary lung cancer: inter-observer agreement and contribution of specific diagnostic procedures.

In order to investigate inter-observer variability in the differential diagnosis of primary lung cancer among women and the contribution of specific diagnostic procedures to this diagnosis, a group of 449 suspect cases of this disease was studied. Based on a standard dossier (including clinical data and the reports, if present, of radiology, bronchoscopy and histology) six different physicians independently judged, for each woman, at each diagnostic step, the presence of a primary lung cancer. A final consensus was organized in order to define the true cases.

[Role of ultrasonic diagnosis as a complementary method in contrast radiography of the intestines].

This study was aimed at evaluating US reliability and sensitivity in identifying inflammatory or neoplastic bowel diseases in symptomatic patients. Two hundred and fifty patients who had been referred to our Unit for double-contrast barium enema of small bowel and colon, underwent panoramic and targeted abdominal US. According to well-known pathological criteria--i.

[Radiologic deontology in daily practice].

The rapid and far-reaching technological evolution that has taken place in diagnostic imaging has deeply changed the radiologist's role, increasing his professional liability. He is in fact responsible for the materials and the equipment employed, for the choice of the examination necessary to solve the clinical problems, for the proper execution of the test, for the validity of the iconographic documentation, for the correct diagnostic interpretation and final report. Whenever the instrumental research involves actual risks of damage (not only potential) it is up to the radiologist to inform the patient to obtain the consent for the execution of the test.

Inter-observer variability in the interpretation of mammograms.

Inter-observer agreement was tested in the interpretation by 8 radiologists of mammograms from 45 women (for a total of 180 films per radiologist). The radiologists were representative of the whole range of those involved in mammography in the town of Torino, with a number of films read per year ranging from 100 to 4000. Out of the 45, 9 women were affected by breast cancer (histologically proved), 25 had benign disease (diagnosed with fine-needle aspiration) and 11 had normal breasts.