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The effect of image processing on chest radiograph interpretations in a PACS environment
M S Rosenthal1, W F Good, M A Costa-Greco
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261.
Investigative Radiology
|August 1, 1990
Summary
Digital chest imaging processing options generally do not impact radiologist diagnostic performance. A multi-observer study found no significant differences in detecting interstitial disease, nodules, or pneumothorax with or without image enhancements.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Diagnostic Performance
Background:
- Digital imaging is increasingly prevalent in radiology.
- The impact of image processing on diagnostic accuracy requires investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of image processing options on radiologist diagnostic performance for chest X-rays.
Main Methods:
- Seven radiologists interpreted 300 digitized chest images twice: once with processing (brightness, contrast, look-up tables, edge enhancement) and once without.
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to compare performance.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant difference in abnormality detection (interstitial disease, nodule, pneumothorax) was found between processed and unprocessed images for most individual radiologists.
- Group analysis also showed no significant difference in detection rates between the two modes.
Conclusions:
- Standard image processing techniques applied to digitized chest radiographs do not appear to significantly alter radiologist diagnostic performance.
- Further research may explore specific advanced processing algorithms or patient populations.