Black Hairstyles in Radiological Imaging: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background

Hairstyles common in Black communities, braids, twists, locs present as artifacts, posing unique diagnostic challenges in interpreting radiological imaging, though limited research has been conducted on the current climate of their interpretation.

Purpose

Present a review of hairstyles as hair artifacts in literature and investigate the comfortability and familiarity of physicians and radiology technicians in assessing braids, twists, and locs as hair artifacts on radiological imaging.

Methods

Cross-sectional study was conducted in an academic hospital using an online platform to assess the experiences and awareness of hairstyles on imaging. Responses were collected between April 2023 through August 2023 and included demographic information, career length, how often they came across hair artifacts in imaging, comfort and familiarity with Black hairstyles as artifact, and a quiz to distinguish pathology from hair artifact on chest x-ray images.

Results

46 participants from Temple Radiology (41.3%), Temple Emergency Medicine (21.7%), Temple Jeanes Campus (26.1%), and St. Lukes Bethlehem Radiology Group (2.2%), with the Radiologist cohort of an average experience of 9.40 years (SD=12.41), Emergency Medicine cohort 7.11 years (SD=7.08), and the Intern cohort had 0.5 years (SD=0.71). Career length (Row Factor: [9.8]; p < 0.0001) and patient load (Row Factor: [3.1], p = 0.029; p < 0.05) significantly affected self-reported scores, with longer careers and larger loads associated with higher score of comfort and familiarity among study participants.

Conclusions

Longer career lengths and a higher number of patients per day improved awareness of how Black hairstyles presents in medical imaging. This study highlighted a radiological phenomenon lacking in medical literature and provided valuable insights into the impact of experience on physicians' ability to identify and interpret radiological images affected by styles that can mimic pathology. An emphasis is put on the need for education earlier in training.