posted on 2011-03-30, 09:21authored byYan Chen, Alastair G. Gale, Ann Turnbull, Jonathan James
With the introduction of digital breast screening across the UK, screeners need to learn how best to inspect these images.
A key advantage over mammographic film is the facility to use workstation image manipulation tools. Forty two-view
FFDM screening cases, representing malignant, normal and benign appearances were examined by fourteen radiologists
and advanced practitioners from two UK screening centres. For half the cases, the mammography workstation image
manipulation tools could be employed and for the other half these were not used. Participants classified each case and
indicated whether an abnormality was present. Throughout the study the participants’ visual search behaviour as well as
their image manipulations was recorded. Whether or not image manipulation tools were used made very little difference
to overall performance (t-test, p>.05) as confirmed by JAFROC analysis Figure-Of-Merit values of 0.816 and 0.838
(with and without tools respectively); performance not using tools was better. However, using tools significantly
increased inspection time (p<0.5) as well as participants’ confidence. Detailed examination of participants’ image
inspection behaviour elicited that the average time on each case in the different viewing conditions differed significantly
between the high experienced readers and low experienced readers. The visual data analysis revealed that the participants
made similar overall pattern of errors on both modalities. The visual search behaviour on both modalities are surprisingly
similar.
History
School
Science
Department
Computer Science
Citation
CHEN, Y. ... et al, 2011. Is image manipulation necessary to interpret digital mammographic images efficiently? IN: Manning, D.J. and Abbey, C.K. (eds.). Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 7996, Medical Imaging 2011: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment, Buena Vista, United States, 12th-17th February, pp. 79660S-1 - 79660S-10.