Investigation of radiology professionals' awareness of CT head artifacts.

Abstract

Objective: Computerized tomography (CT) artifacts can happen for various causes. It is critical to understand these artifacts because they can mimic disease or reduce image quality to non-diagnostic levels. CT artifacts can be characterized according to their underlying cause. This study aims to evaluate and compare the understanding of CT head artifacts between radiographers and radiography interns, supplemented by insights from a select group of participating radiologists.

Results: A cross-sectional survey study included 150 participants. All participants' average knowledge score of CT head artifact was good (77.81%). The most correctly identified CT head artifacts were the metal artifact (86%), ring artifact (84.7%), and motion artifact (81.3%). The beam hardening artifact was correctly identified less frequently (62%). There is significant difference in the recognition of motion artifacts among the participants (P = 0.001) knowledge of CT head image artifacts improved significantly with more experienced participants (P = 0.001), where participants with less than 10 months of experience had a higher rate of incorrect responses (85 incorrect vs. 31 correct). The recognition of these artifacts improves with experience and advanced age. Understanding these artifacts is essential to avoid misdiagnosis of various diseases.