Clinical evaluation of computer processing of liver gamma camera scans

A prospective study to assess the clinical usefulness of computer processing of liver scans has been carried out on 203 patients. All patients have had six months follow up to confirm the diagnostic accuracy of the scan results. Four presentations have been studied using ROC analysis: (i) original gamma-camera pictures; (ii) processed images obtained using a non-stationary filter; (iii) images processed using nine-point smoothing; (iv) images obtained by linear interpolation at 25 isocount levels of display. It is concluded that pictures obtained by use of a non-stationary filter at 25 isocount levels are superior to a conventional gamma-camera pictures and displays obtained by linear interpolation only. All three are considerably superior to the images obtained by nine-point smoothing in detection of focal space-occupying lesions. Based on the results obtained, a strategy for the rational use of computer processing of gamma-camera liver scans is proposed.