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A Study of the Feasibility of using slabbing to reduce Tomosynthesis Review Time

Dustler, Magnus LU ; Andersson, Martin LU ; Förnvik, Daniel LU ; Timberg, Pontus LU and Tingberg, Anders LU (2013) SPIE Medical Imaging, 2013 8673. p.86731-86731
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate whether decreasing the amount of slices in breast tomosynthesis (BT) image volumes reduce reading time. BT slices were combined into so-called slabs, by reconstructing thin slices and merging them into thicker slabs. Sets of slabs where created from 35 clinical BT volumes with malignant or benignant findings and from 50 BT volumes drawn from screening sets (without any prior review). The image sets were reviewed in two separate sessions while the review time was recorded. A total of five experienced radiologists were employed for the image review. Additionally a VGA study was performed to compare slabbed images with the originals in order to ensure that the image quality was not significantly degraded. One... (More)
This study aimed to investigate whether decreasing the amount of slices in breast tomosynthesis (BT) image volumes reduce reading time. BT slices were combined into so-called slabs, by reconstructing thin slices and merging them into thicker slabs. Sets of slabs where created from 35 clinical BT volumes with malignant or benignant findings and from 50 BT volumes drawn from screening sets (without any prior review). The image sets were reviewed in two separate sessions while the review time was recorded. A total of five experienced radiologists were employed for the image review. Additionally a VGA study was performed to compare slabbed images with the originals in order to ensure that the image quality was not significantly degraded. One set of 27 pathological cases (13 masses and 14 microcalcification clusters) and one of 22 subtle lesions that had been missed on digital mammography but detected on BT were presented to an experienced radiologist and 2 medical physicists who rated the quality of the slabbed versions relative to the originals. The study could find no significant degradation in image quality when using 2 mm slabs instead of 1 mm slices. There was no significant decrease in reading time on clinical cases (P=.133), but on screening images there was a significant decrease of 7.7 +/- 9.6 s from an average level of 32.2 +/- 14.5 s (P<.0001). This suggests that increasing slab thickness can reduce the time radiologists spend studying normal images by 20%. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Mammography, breast tomosynthesis, slab, thick slice, reading time
host publication
Medical Imaging 2013: Image Perception, Observer Performance, And Technology Assessment
volume
8673
pages
86731 - 86731
publisher
SPIE
conference name
SPIE Medical Imaging, 2013
conference location
Lake Buena Vista (Orlando area), Florida, United States
conference dates
2013-02-09 - 2013-02-14
external identifiers
  • wos:000322986700055
  • scopus:84878791821
ISSN
1996-756X
0277-786X
DOI
10.1117/12.2006987
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
010e23e3-f279-465b-9bc1-92a61f5ab19d (old id 4027035)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:03:01
date last changed
2024-01-21 03:50:13
@inproceedings{010e23e3-f279-465b-9bc1-92a61f5ab19d,
  abstract     = {{This study aimed to investigate whether decreasing the amount of slices in breast tomosynthesis (BT) image volumes reduce reading time. BT slices were combined into so-called slabs, by reconstructing thin slices and merging them into thicker slabs. Sets of slabs where created from 35 clinical BT volumes with malignant or benignant findings and from 50 BT volumes drawn from screening sets (without any prior review). The image sets were reviewed in two separate sessions while the review time was recorded. A total of five experienced radiologists were employed for the image review. Additionally a VGA study was performed to compare slabbed images with the originals in order to ensure that the image quality was not significantly degraded. One set of 27 pathological cases (13 masses and 14 microcalcification clusters) and one of 22 subtle lesions that had been missed on digital mammography but detected on BT were presented to an experienced radiologist and 2 medical physicists who rated the quality of the slabbed versions relative to the originals. The study could find no significant degradation in image quality when using 2 mm slabs instead of 1 mm slices. There was no significant decrease in reading time on clinical cases (P=.133), but on screening images there was a significant decrease of 7.7 +/- 9.6 s from an average level of 32.2 +/- 14.5 s (P&lt;.0001). This suggests that increasing slab thickness can reduce the time radiologists spend studying normal images by 20%.}},
  author       = {{Dustler, Magnus and Andersson, Martin and Förnvik, Daniel and Timberg, Pontus and Tingberg, Anders}},
  booktitle    = {{Medical Imaging 2013: Image Perception, Observer Performance, And Technology Assessment}},
  issn         = {{1996-756X}},
  keywords     = {{Mammography; breast tomosynthesis; slab; thick slice; reading time}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{86731--86731}},
  publisher    = {{SPIE}},
  title        = {{A Study of the Feasibility of using slabbing to reduce Tomosynthesis Review Time}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2006987}},
  doi          = {{10.1117/12.2006987}},
  volume       = {{8673}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}