Using a high-speed movie camera to evaluate slice dropping in clinical image interpretation with stack mode viewers

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging Technology
• Radiology Informatics

Background:

• Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) viewers are essential for medical image display.
• Slice omission during image paging can compromise diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively quantify the rate of slice omission during paging on various PACS viewers.
• To identify factors contributing to slice dropping during image navigation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a high-speed movie camera to record PACS viewer displays.
• Superimposed sequential numbers on DICOM slices for objective tracking.
• Tested multiple DICOM and PACS viewers in automatic and manual paging modes.
• Measured paging speeds and correlated them with slice omission rates.

Main Results:

• Slice dropping was objectively confirmed using high-speed videography.
• Paging speeds exceeding half the display's refresh rate caused up to 52.4% slice omission in some viewers.
• Viewer design and correct settings are crucial for preventing slice dropping.

Conclusions:

• Slice omission is a verifiable phenomenon in PACS viewers, particularly at high paging speeds.
• Optimized viewer design and appropriate usage settings are necessary to ensure complete image data display.
• Slower paging speeds, below half the display refresh rate, can mitigate slice dropping.