Estimating the productivity of radiologists in Brazil: the search for a benchmark.

Objective: To determine the average productivity of radiologists, as measured by number of reports issued per 6-h shift, evaluating variables that could affect the results.

Materials And Methods: This was a study utilizing an online questionnaire sent to radiologists affiliated with the Brazilian College of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging. The questions were related to the demographic profile and professional practice characteristics (form of remuneration, primary imaging method employed, and subspecialty) of the radiologists, as well as their individual productivity (average personal productivity) and the productivity considered reasonable in a 6-h shift.

Is liver perfusion CT reproducible? A study on intra- and interobserver agreement of normal hepatic haemodynamic parameters obtained with two different software packages.

Objective: To evaluate the agreement between the measurements of perfusion CT parameters in normal livers by using two different software packages.

Methods: This retrospective study was based on 78 liver perfusion CT examinations acquired for detecting suspected liver metastasis. Patients with any morphological or functional hepatic abnormalities were excluded.

Using computed tomography enterography to evaluate patients with Crohn's disease: what impact does examiner experience have on the reproducibility of the method?

Objective: To assess the impact that examiner experience has on the reproducibility and accuracy of computed tomography (CT) enterography in the detection of radiological signs in patients with Crohn's disease.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional observational study involving the analysis of CT enterography scans of 20 patients with Crohn's disease. The exams were analyzed independently by two radiologists in their last year of residence (duo I) and by two abdominal imaging specialists (duo II).

Readjustment of abdominal computed tomography protocols in a university hospital: impact on radiation dose.

Objective: To assess the reduction of estimated radiation dose in abdominal computed tomography following the implementation of new scan protocols on the basis of clinical suspicion and of adjusted images acquisition parameters.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective and prospective review of reports on radiation dose from abdominal CT scans performed three months before (group A - 551 studies) and three months after (group B - 788 studies) implementation of new scan protocols proposed as a function of clinical indications. Also, the images acquisition parameters were adjusted to reduce the radiation dose at each scan phase.