Digital skeletal radiography: spatial resolution requirements for detection of subperiosteal resorption

Forty direct-magnification (2:1 enlargement) radiographs showing various severities of subperiosteal resorption and 40 normal studies were selected and digitized. Images were processed to produce varying resolution, from 1.42 to 11.4 Ip/mm, corresponding to pixel sizes ranging from 0.04 to 0.32 mm. The conventional and digitized images were evaluated by six radiologists giving their decision confidence on a graded scale. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed from these data to compare the digital images with the conventional films. The results show significant improvement in diagnostic accuracy as pixel size decreases to the level of 0.08 mm. Digital images with pixel sizes of 0.04 mm (11.4 Ip/mm) were not significantly different from the magnification radiographs in terms of observer performance. In conclusion, for high-resolution skeletal imaging as needed for detection of subperiosteal resorption, spatial resolution of 5.7 Ip/mm or less resulted in a significant loss of diagnostic accuracy, as compared with conventional films.