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Standardised tumour, node and metastasis reporting of oncology CT scans
Author(s) -
Gormly KLM
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1754-9485
pISSN - 1754-9477
DOI - 10.1111/j.1754-9485.2009.02090.x
Subject(s) - medicine , terminology , medical physics , radiology , lymph node , audit , stage (stratigraphy) , metastasis , oncology , cancer , paleontology , philosophy , linguistics , management , economics , biology
Summary The oncology CT report is a vital piece of communication between the radiologist and the treating clinician and often determines patient management. The use of a standardised report that follows the tumour, node and metastasis (TNM) structure makes it easier for the radiologist to include all of the necessary information in an easy‐to‐read format. Presenting the results under the headings of primary tumour, lymph nodes, metastases, and other findings follows a similar pattern to that used by pathologists and also follows the thought process of the treating clinician. Standardised templates for TNM‐based oncology CT reports were introduced into public and private institutions. An audit of 199 reports demonstrated a significant increase in the presence of measurements and conclusions in the template reports. While there was a non‐significant increase in the use of correct Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumours terminology for template reports, there was an improved attempt to describe the disease response. Saving measurements as a summary series on PACS also assists follow‐up reporting.