Radiology request forms and the interpratation of radiographs at Kenyatta National hospital

Abstract

A total of 491 X-ray request forms together with their accompanying radiographs were analyzed over a three month period at the Radiology Department of Kenyatta National, Hospital, Nairobi, from January to March 2000. Patients covered in the study had been referred from various departments including the casualty, wards, general clinics and private clinics. They ranged from 5 weeks to 78 years in age. The study found that 334 (68%) of request forms were inadequately filled. Of the different parameters requested for on the forms, filling in of menstrual history (LMP) was the poorest (10.4% LMP given), while age and sex were relatively well filled in. Analysis of the various departmental referrals showed that patients referred from private clinics had the most inadequately filled forms, while provision of clinical history was also the poorest for these patients. Of the films that were not reported, 46.5% were due to radiographic faults including film-fog, poor exposure and processing, while 30.2% were returned due to inadequate patient information.