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Comparison of two methods for evaluation of image quality of lumbar spine radiographs

Tingberg, Anders LU ; Båth, M. ; Håkansson, M. ; Medin, Joakim LU ; Sandborg, M. ; Alm-Carlsson, G. ; Mattsson, Sören LU and Månsson, L.G. (2004) Medical Imaging 2004: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment 5372. p.251-262
Abstract
Purpose To evaluate the image quality of clinical radiographs with two different methods, and to find correlations between the two methods. Methods Based on fifteen lumbar spine radiographs, two new sets of images were created. A hybrid image set was created by adding two distributions of artificial lesions to each original image. The image quality parameters spatial resolution and noise were manipulated and a total of 210 hybrid images were created. A set of 105 disease-free images was created by applying the same combinations of spatial resolution and noise to the original images. The hybrid images were evaluated with the free-response forced error experiment (FFE) and the normal images with visual grading analysis (VGA) by nine... (More)
Purpose To evaluate the image quality of clinical radiographs with two different methods, and to find correlations between the two methods. Methods Based on fifteen lumbar spine radiographs, two new sets of images were created. A hybrid image set was created by adding two distributions of artificial lesions to each original image. The image quality parameters spatial resolution and noise were manipulated and a total of 210 hybrid images were created. A set of 105 disease-free images was created by applying the same combinations of spatial resolution and noise to the original images. The hybrid images were evaluated with the free-response forced error experiment (FFE) and the normal images with visual grading analysis (VGA) by nine experienced radiologists. Results The VGA study showed that images with low noise are preferred over images with higher noise levels. The alteration of the MTF had a limited influence on the VGA score. For the FFE study the visibility of the lesions was independent of the spatial resolution and the noise level. Discussion In this study we found no correlation between the two methods, probably because the detectability of the artificial lesions was not influenced by the manipulations of noise level and resolution. Hence, the detection of lesions in lumbar spine radiography may not be a quantum-noise limited task. The results show the strength of the VGA technique in terms of detecting small changes in the two image quality parameters. The method is more robust and has a higher statistical power than the ROC related method and could therefore, in some cases, be more suitable for use in optimization studies. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Proceedings of SPIE
volume
5372
pages
251 - 262
publisher
SPIE
conference name
Medical Imaging 2004: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment
conference location
San Diego, CA, United States
conference dates
2004-02-17
external identifiers
  • wos:000221900500030
  • scopus:12144262780
ISSN
0277-786X
1996-756X
ISBN
0819452858
DOI
10.1117/12.534040
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
794c8dfe-e925-49b1-acd8-f79f916b398a (old id 1297771)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:25:35
date last changed
2024-01-08 20:06:48
@inproceedings{794c8dfe-e925-49b1-acd8-f79f916b398a,
  abstract     = {{Purpose To evaluate the image quality of clinical radiographs with two different methods, and to find correlations between the two methods. Methods Based on fifteen lumbar spine radiographs, two new sets of images were created. A hybrid image set was created by adding two distributions of artificial lesions to each original image. The image quality parameters spatial resolution and noise were manipulated and a total of 210 hybrid images were created. A set of 105 disease-free images was created by applying the same combinations of spatial resolution and noise to the original images. The hybrid images were evaluated with the free-response forced error experiment (FFE) and the normal images with visual grading analysis (VGA) by nine experienced radiologists. Results The VGA study showed that images with low noise are preferred over images with higher noise levels. The alteration of the MTF had a limited influence on the VGA score. For the FFE study the visibility of the lesions was independent of the spatial resolution and the noise level. Discussion In this study we found no correlation between the two methods, probably because the detectability of the artificial lesions was not influenced by the manipulations of noise level and resolution. Hence, the detection of lesions in lumbar spine radiography may not be a quantum-noise limited task. The results show the strength of the VGA technique in terms of detecting small changes in the two image quality parameters. The method is more robust and has a higher statistical power than the ROC related method and could therefore, in some cases, be more suitable for use in optimization studies.}},
  author       = {{Tingberg, Anders and Båth, M. and Håkansson, M. and Medin, Joakim and Sandborg, M. and Alm-Carlsson, G. and Mattsson, Sören and Månsson, L.G.}},
  booktitle    = {{Proceedings of SPIE}},
  isbn         = {{0819452858}},
  issn         = {{0277-786X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{251--262}},
  publisher    = {{SPIE}},
  title        = {{Comparison of two methods for evaluation of image quality of lumbar spine radiographs}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.534040}},
  doi          = {{10.1117/12.534040}},
  volume       = {{5372}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}