Epidemiology Screening Populations, Essay Example

Radiology screening entails medical imaging in the form of ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray radiography, and computed tomography. It is the responsibility of every radiologist to manage the imaging process for appriateand accurate results of the screening results. Images re acquired by using a number of techniques. They include projectional radiography, fluoroscopy, interventional radiology, computed tomography, mammography, and teleradiology among many other techniques (Kaufman,  Reekers & Burnes 1147 ).

For screening measures to be authentic across radiology and healthcare disciplines both patients and healthcare providers must be confident that when a screening report is tendered from the department it reflects valid reliable information concerning the condition diagnosed.  For example, in the two articles quoted sensitivity and specificity are two important contributory variables to valid reliable results. Still professionals question whether a good enough job at screening populations, is currently done or we need to do better.

Collier and Huebscher discovered that concepts pertaining to ‘sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPEC), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV)

…….vary with the prevalence of a condition’ (Collier & Huebscher 205) in many of the screening meaures undertaken as being cited in radiology. A classic example pertains to results received from mammograms. Two screening measures are   adapted, cranial-caudal, CC and medial-lateral-oblique, MLO. During screening if the breasts are not correctly positioned by the radiologist images can show inaccuracies. Subsequently, the clients will have to be exposed to more radiation to validate screening for reliable images.

From the technology being applied in radiology along with diversity of tests, as a professional it is my belief that we Aare doing a fine job at making tests available. However, when it relates inaccuracies emerging from sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPEC), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) issues we can do much better in screening as a professional body.

Works cited

Collier J; Huebscher R. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values: diagnosing purple mange. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (J Am Acad Nurse Pract), 22 (4):  2010, 205-9. (10 ref). Print

Kaufman, J. A.; Reekers, J. A.; Burnes, J. Global Statement Defining Interventional Radiology”. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology 21 (8): 2010, 1147–1149.