Accuracy of diagnosing gastritis in barium-contrasted radiography: a single-center prospective study

<p>Aims: We examined the accuracy of diagnosing gastritis in barium-contrasted radiography, with or without referring to the results of the serum anti-Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) antibody test. We also evaluated the effect of a consensus meeting on the accuracy and discussed its usefulness in education.</p><p>Methods: We recruited people from the participants of health check-up tests in Taga town, and the candidates of the study gave informed consent. We collected upper gastrointestinal X-ray pictures, history of H. pylori eradication therapy, and the results of a serum anti-H. pylori antibody test of the subjects. Six radiologists diagnosed background gastric mucosa and classified the stomach into gastritis and normal. Two radiological diagnoses were made in each participant with or without referring to the result of the serum antibody test (Diagnosis 1 and 2). Thereafter, a consensus meeting was held, and a consensus diagnosis was made among the six radiologists on each participant. Over one month after the consensus meeting, two more radiological diagnoses were made in the same way as done previously (Diagnosis 3 and 4), but the order of the subjects was randomly changed. If the diagnosis was the same as the consensus diagnosis in each subject, we evaluated that the radiologist diagnosed correctly.</p><p>Results: Fifty-four X-ray series of 52 subjects were included in the study. Of them, 34 and 19 stomachs were diagnosed as normal and with gastritis, respectively. We held a consensus meeting, and consensus diagnoses were made in 53 stomachs (98.1%). The mean accuracy ± standard deviation (%) of diagnosing background gastric mucosa in the six radiologists were 81.1±15.0, 91.8±9.6, 87.4±4.7, 96.5±3.7 in Diagnosis 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The mean accuracy significantly elevated from Diagnosis 1 to 2, 3 to 4, and 1 to 4 with reference to the results of the antibody test (P<0.05). However, the variance of accuracy in diagnosis significantly changed from Diagnosis 1 to 3, and 1 to 4 (P<005).</p><p>Conclusion: The accuracy of diagnosing gastritis in radiography was significantly elevated with reference to the results of the antibody test. The standard deviation of diagnosis decreased after the consensus meeting with a significantly changed variance. These procedures were thought appreciable for the education of radiologists.</p>