The Study of Observer Variation in the Radiological Classification of Pneumoconiosis

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RESUMO

In a long-term investigation such as the National Coal Board's Pneumoconiosis Field Research (P.F.R.), it is essential to establish satisfactory and stable procedures for making the necessary observations and measurements. It is equally important regularly to apply suitable methods of checking the accuracy and consistency of the various observations and measurements. One aspect of vital importance in the P.F.R. is the classification of the series of chest radiographs taken, at intervals, of all the men under observation. This is inevitably a subjective process, and (as with other similar fields of work) it is desirable to obtain some understanding of the basic process behind the operation. This can usefully be done by the help of “models” designed to describe the process, if necessary in simplified terms. The problem of the radiological classification of pneumoconiosis has been studied hitherto in terms of coefficients of disagreement (inter-observer variation) and inconsistency (intra-observer variation), but for various reasons the method was not considered entirely satisfactory. New methods of approach were therefore developed for studying the performance of the two doctors responsible for the film reading in the Research, and two distinct “models” were derived. The advantages and disadvantages of each are described in the paper, together with the applications of the two models to the study of some of the problems arising in the course of the investigation.

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