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Most busy family physicians use radiographs on a daily basis, but their proficiency in interpreting them is unclear. This study from an outpatient family practice at the University of Iowa assessed how accurately residents and faculty interpreted 1674 radiographs ordered during a three- year period. Each radiograph was interpreted by the ordering family physician and overread by a radiologist. When their interpretations differed, a family physician and radiologist who were unaware of the original interpretation reexamined the films together. Ninety-two percent of all films were interpreted correctly by family physicians. They read extremity films more accurately than chest films (96 vs. 89 percent correct), and normal films more accurately …