iRADiX

Definition of Bias

‘To lean towards something because you don’t like something else, or you like something more than something else, goes hand in hand with discrimination and prejudice’

‘Someone who already has their mind made up and preset towards a one sided view of a situation’

Scene 1

Patient having RT hypochondrial pain.

Two scan centers gave USG report as Multiple Gall stones with sludge and a third scan center gave the report as ‘echogenic mass lesion with acoustic shadow-to rule out growth’

(Nobody knows why the patient visits so many scan centers for the same problem.)

The Radiologist in the 4 Th scan center is a bit confused about the two earlier reports agreeing and the third report moving in an opposite direction.

This radiologist agrees with the description part in all the reports but not sure how to proceed.

Point to discuss-

Is it correct to see the earlier reports before proceeding to do the study?

Is it true that bias of the previous report clouds the judgment of the present study?

Scene 2

This radiologist has missed a small meningocele while doing an obstetric scan.

Spending many sleepless nights is another story.

Point to discuss-

Now the radiologist spends at least 15 minutes extra in every obstetric scan just to make sure that there is no meningocele.

What do you name this behavioral pattern?

Is ‘bias’ playing a role here?

Scene 3

This particular physician (Alternate Medicine) always has got the habit of calling the radiologist and tells him.” I am ref a patient with vague abdominal pain, please decide yourself regarding suitable investigation (lab/Ct /MRI/USG etc)”,

Radiologist has to oblige otherwise he won’t get cases.

Point to discuss-

Can the radiologist be biased and ask for a costly tests like CT or MRI? Instead of simple USG?

Scene 4

Various specialty people ref patients for USG of abdomen. The funny part is most of the times the radiologist mentally starts focusing the abdomen in relation to that particular specialty,

A few examples

If the case comes from Gastroenterologist- Radiologist is spending         more time concentrating on Gall bladder, Liver, or pancreas.

Case from Gynecologist- Radiologist turns concentration on Uterus and Ovaries.

If case comes from Urologist---All the importance is given to KUB region.

Point to discuss-

Are we not biased and start having this one mind track, rather than concentrating on the problems of the patient in total entity.

Our Clinician friends are not lagging behind.

One particular clinician always mentions ….. Do USG abdomen to rule out gall stones….come what may be the problem of patient. (I mean even if the patient is a case of dysmennorhea)!!

Scene 5

This particular scene is from a teaching Radiology institute.

One professor taught the student that the complex mass lesion noticed in the Liver is ‘Hydatid cyst with sand’ arriving to this diagnosis based on his conviction.

Not aware of this next day another professor put this film for discussion and the students came with prompt answer ‘Hydatid cyst with sand’

This professor laughed at them, made fun of their intelligence and said the finding are more in favor of ’Hepato cellular carcinoma’ based on certain observations he made on the film.

Point to discuss-

Each professor thought that their way of approach to the problem is   a ‘perfect one’ and it appears that each one is biased in interpreting in their own fashion rather than taking a collective decision (more so in a teaching institute)

After extensive investigations the lesion turned out to be Hemorrhagic Adenoma’

What is the point in mocking the students?

“I am biased to my show as a whole but it is still very entertaining”

-  Robmariano