A clinical audit of errors and diagnostic quality of orthopantomographs at our teaching hospital : a retrospective audit of student cases

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of our community health project was to conduct a clinical audit among our patients’ orthopantomograms (OPGs) to determine the prevalence of radiographic errors and the diagnostic quality of the OPGs. Furthermore, to identify variations in radiographic errors and variations in the diagnostic quality of the radiographic with respect to time-period OPGs were obtained and patient factors. Methods: OPGs from the patient pool of our clinical group were obtained. A standardized checklist was developed to assess 1) radiographic errors: (a) patient preparation (three aspects), (b) patient positioning (eight aspects), and (c) other errors (patient movement and exposure); and 2) Diagnostic Quality (seven aspects). Variations in radiographic errors and diagnostic quality were assessed with respect to time-period OPGs were obtained and patient factors (age group and gender) employing Chi-square statistics. Results: All (204) OPGs were amenable for analysis. Almost all OPGs (99.5%, 203) had a radiologic error: 91.7% (187) a patient preparation error, 95.6% (195) a patient positioning error, and 24.0% (49) had other errors. More than half (56.9%, 116) of the OPGs were deemed to be of insufficient diagnostic quality in one or more aspects. Variations in OPGs errors existed with respect to patients’ age (p<0.01) and time-period OPG was obtained (p<0.01). Variations in the diagnostic quality of OPGs existed with respect to and time-period OPG was taken (p<0.01). Conclusions: A clinical audit of OPGs among our group’s patient pool identified that most had a radiographic error and many OPGs had issues with respect to diagnostic quality. Variations in radiographic errors and quality existed; OPGs taken in 2020 or before fared worse off. The findings of our community health project have implications to inform quality improvement for OPGs among students’ patients.