<title>Radiologist and automated image analysis</title>

Abstract

Significant advances are being made in the area of automated medical image analysis. Part of the progress is due to the general advances being made in the types of algorithms used to process images and perform various detection and recognition tasks. A more important reason for this growth in medical image analysis processes, may be due however to a very different reason. The use of computer workstations, digital image acquisition technologies and the use of CRT monitors for display of medical images for primary diagnostic reading is becoming more prevalent in radiology departments around the world. With the advance in computer- based displays, however, has come the realization that displaying images on a CRT monitor is not the same as displaying film on a viewbox. There are perceptual, cognitive and ergonomic issues that must be considered if radiologists are to accept this change in technology and display. The bottom line is that radiologists' performance must be evaluated with these new technologies and image analysis techniques in order to verify that diagnostic performance is at least as good with these new technologies and image analysis procedures as with film-based displays. The goal of this paper is to address some of the perceptual, cognitive and ergonomic issues associated with reading radiographic images from digital displays.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.