ABSTRACT
OBJETIVO: Avaliar o impacto sobre o treinamento de residentes utilizando uma ferramenta computacional dedicada à avaliação do desempenho da leitura de imagens radiológicas convencionais e digitais. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: O treinamento foi realizado no Laboratório de Qualificação de Imagens Médicas (QualIM). Os residentes de radiologia efetuaram cerca de 1.000 leituras de um total de 60 imagens obtidas de um simulador estatístico (Alvim®) que apresenta fibras e microcalcificações de dimensões variadas. O desempenhodos residentes na detecção dessas estruturas foi avaliado por meio de parâmetros estatísticos. RESULTADOS:Os resultados da probabilidade de detectabilidade foram de 0,789 e 0,818 para os sistemas convencional e digital, respectivamente. As taxas de falso-positivos foram de 8% e 6% e os valores de verdadeiro- -positivos, de 66% e 70%, respectivamente. O valor de kappa total foi 0,553 para as leituras em negatoscópio e 0,615 em monitor. A área sob a curva ROC foi de 0,716 para leitura em filme e 0,810 para monitor.CONCLUSÃO: O treinamento proposto mostrou ser efetivo e apresentou impacto positivo sobre o desempenhodos residentes, constituindo-se em interessante ferramenta pedagógica. Os resultados sugerem que o método de treinamento baseado na leitura de simuladores pode produzir um melhor desempenho dos profissionais na interpretação das imagens mamográficas.
OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed at evaluating the performance of residents trained in the reading of conventional and digital mammography images with a specific computational tool. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The training was accomplished in the Laboratory of Medical Images Qualification (QualIM û Laboratório de Qualificação de Imagens Médicas). Residents in radiology performed approximately 1,000 readings of a set of 60 images acquired from a statistical phantom (Alvim®) presenting microcalcifications and fibers with different sizes. The analysis of the residents' performance in the detection of these structures was based on statistical parameters. RESULTS: Values for detection probability were respectively 0.789 and 0.818 for conventional and digital systems. False-positive rates were 8% and 6%, and true-positive rates, 66% and 70% respectively. The total kappa value was 0.553 for readings on the negatoscope (hard-copy readings), and 0.615 on the monitor (soft-copy readings). The area under the ROC curve was 0.716 forhard-copy readings and 0.810 for soft-copy readings. CONCLUSION: The training has showed to be effective,with a positive impact on the residents' performance, representing an interesting educational tool. The resultsof the present study suggest that this method of training based on the reading of images from phantoms can improve the practitioners' performance in the interpretation of mammographic images.
Subject(s)
Humans , Computer-Assisted Instruction , Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted/methods , Mammography/methods , Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted , Software , Teaching Materials , Radiography/methodsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We wanted to compare the ability of screen-film mammography (SFM) and soft-copy full-field digital mammography (s-FFDM) on two different monitors to detect and characterize microcalcifications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The images of 40 patients with microcalcifications (three patients had malignant lesion and 37 patients had benign lesion), who underwent both SFM and FFDM at an interval of less than six months, were independently evaluated by three readers. Three reading sessions were undertaken for SFM and for FFDM on a mammography-dedicated review workstation (RWS, 2K x 2.5K), and for FFDM on a high-resolution PACS monitor (1.7K x 2.3K). The image quality, breast composition and the number and conspicuity of the microcalcifications were evaluated using a three-point rating method, and the mammographic assessment was classified into 4 categories (normal, benign, low concern and moderate to great concern). RESULTS: The image quality, the number and conspicuity of the microcalcifications by s-FFDM (on the RWS, PACS and both) were superior to those by SFM in 85.0%, 80.0% and 52.5% of the cases, respectively (p 0.01). The mammographic assessment category for the microcalcifications in the three reading sessions was similar. CONCLUSION: s-FFDM gives a superior image quality to SFM and it is better at evaluating microcalcifications. In addition, s-FFDM with the PACS monitor is comparable to s-FFDM with the RWS for evaluating microcalcifications.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Radiographic Image Enhancement , Mammography/methods , Calcinosis/diagnostic imaging , Breast Diseases/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
With the rapid development of Picture Achieving and Communication System(PACS), the interpretation of medical images has been changing rapidly from a procedure based on films and light boxes to one based on computers and medical displays. The function parameters of Soft-Copy Reading carriers——medical grayscale display play an important part in radiodiagnosis because they can greatly influence the quality of medical image. It is very easy for quantitative assessment of this influence by using ROC curve theory, and it can direct hospital to select suitable medical display.
ABSTRACT
Objective To improve the diagnostic accurate rate by studying best values of chest posterior-anterior digital medical images in soft-copy reading. Methods 100 normal adults’ chest posterior-anterior digital medical images in recent 10 days in our hospital were randomly chosen. Five specialists of our department were invited to see these images by soft-copy reading and the best WW/WL values of different parts of the chest they selected were recorded. All the data were analyzed in statistics and the best WW/WL was got. Results The best WW/WL values of soft tissues of chest wall were 2 083/4 840,ribs 2 667/4 908,lung fiber 2 067/4 960,hilum of lung 1 848/5 130,heart and large vessels 2 206/5 438,mediastinum and diaphragm 2 180/5 530,thoracic vertebrae 1 471/5 801,ribs that covered by heart and diaphragm1 428/5 975. Conclusion Different parts in chest poster -anterior digital medical images need special WW/WL in soft-copy reading for better diagnosis of images.