Abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT)can be challenging to report, particularly in patients who are acutely unwell. A rapid increase in utilisation of CT, particularly out of hours, has created reporting pressures within United Kingdom (UK) radiology departments, and this has led to the development of different reporting models: Provisional (initial) CT reports may be issued by trainee radiologists (registrars) with subsequent review by senior onsite consultant radiologists Reports may be issued by consultants themselves Reporting may be carried out by radiologists working offsite with no affiliation...

The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) works closely with individual radiology departments across the four countries within the UK; nominated individuals/Fellows (audit leads) within the departments are responsible for co-ordinating both local audits and national RCR audit projects. All audit leads were invited to submit data in both non-surgical and surgical cohortsto the RCR on behalf of their departments. For each cohort, a retrospective search of the radiological department database was undertaken to identify 25 consecutive non-traumatic adult (>16 years) emergency patients who had undergone...

Discrepancy in radiological reporting is a complex issue and the causes of discrepancy are numerous, well recognised and often inter-related3,4. Radiologist specific causes include faulty reasoning, lack of knowledge (particularly when working outside an individual’s area of specialty expertise), failure of perception or poor communication of findings. System related factors are also important and a number of causes are recognised – staff shortages (with over reliance on locum radiologists), combined with excess workload, inexperience of staff and insufficient or inaccurate clinical and/or previous radiological information3....

Karl Drinkwater1, David C Howlett2,Chris Frost3, Antony Higginson4, Christopher Ball5 and GilesMaskell6 Audit Officer, The Royal College of Radiologists, London, UK Consultant Radiologist and Honorary Clinical Professor, Eastbourne Hospital, Eastbourne, UK Professor of Medical Statistics, Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK Consultant Radiologist, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK Specialist Registrar Radiology, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UK Consultant Radiologist, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, UK

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