An Exploration of Discrepant Recalls Between AI and Human Readers of Malignant Lesions in Digital Mammography Screening.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital mammography (DM) screening holds promise for early breast cancer detection, potentially enhancing accuracy and efficiency. However, AI performance is not identical to that of human observers. We aimed to identify common morphological image characteristics of true cancers that are missed by either AI or human screening when their interpretations are discrepant.

PET/CT acquisition and processing protocols in the Netherlands.

Purpose: To evaluate variations in acquisition and processing protocols for four of the most common PET/CT examinations in Dutch hospitals: FDG-WB, [F]F-PSMA, [Ga]Ga-PSMA, and FDG-Brain.

Methods: All nuclear medicine departments in the Netherlands with a PET/CT scanner were invited to participate in a survey about acquisition and processing protocols for FDG-WB, [F]F-PSMA, [Ga]Ga-PSMA, and FDG-Brain PET/CT examinations. The survey collected data on injected activity, acquisition times, and reconstruction/post-processing settings.

Lesion detection in digital breast tomosynthesis: human reader experiments indicate no benefit from the integration of information from multiple planes.

Purpose: In digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), radiologists need to review a stack of 20 to 80 tomosynthesis images, depending upon breast size. This causes a significant increase in reading time. However, it is currently unknown whether there is a perceptual benefit to viewing a mass in the 3D tomosynthesis volume.

Real-Time Person Identification in a Hospital Setting: A Systematic Review.

In the critical setting of a trauma team activation, team composition is crucial information that should be accessible at a glance. This calls for a technological solution, which are widely available, that allows access to the whereabouts of personnel. This diversity presents decision makers and users with many choices and considerations.

Optimization of the difference-of-Gaussian channel sets for the channelized Hotelling observer.

The channelized-Hotelling observer (CHO) was investigated as a surrogate of human observers in task-based image quality assessment. The CHO with difference-of-Gaussian (DoG) channels has shown potential for the prediction of human detection performance in digital mammography (DM) images. However, the DoG channels employ parameters that describe the shape of each channel.

Automatic quantitative analysis of pulmonary vascular morphology in CT images.

Purpose: Vascular remodeling is a significant pathological feature of various pulmonary diseases, which may be assessed by quantitative computed tomography (CT) imaging. The purpose of this study was therefore to develop and validate an automatic method for quantifying pulmonary vascular morphology in CT images.

Methods: The proposed method consists of pulmonary vessel extraction and quantification.

Signal template generation from acquired images for model observer-based image quality analysis in mammography.

Mammography images undergo vendor-specific processing, which may be nonlinear, before radiologist interpretation. Therefore, to test the entire imaging chain, the effect of image processing should be included in the assessment of image quality, which is not current practice. For this purpose, model observers (MOs), in combination with anthropomorphic breast phantoms, are proposed to evaluate image quality in mammography.

Development of a 3D printed anthropomorphic lung phantom for image quality assessment in CT.

Purpose: To design a 3D printed anthropomorphic lung vessel phantom for CT image quality assessment and to evaluate the phantom image and dose characteristics.

Methods: An in-house algorithm generated a vessel tree model, based on human lungs anatomy, which was 3D printed using a multi jet modeling printer (0.25 mm ≤ vessel diameters ≤ 8.

Inter-laboratory comparison of channelized hotelling observer computation.

Purpose: The task-based assessment of image quality using model observers is increasingly used for the assessment of different imaging modalities. However, the performance computation of model observers needs standardization as well as a well-established trust in its implementation methodology and uncertainty estimation. The purpose of this work was to determine the degree of equivalence of the channelized Hotelling observer performance and uncertainty estimation using an intercomparison exercise.

A model observer study using acquired mammographic images of an anthropomorphic breast phantom.

Purpose: To study the feasibility of a task-based framework composed of an anthropomorphic breast phantom and mathematical model observers (MOs) for the evaluation of system-processed mammographic images.

Methods: A prototype anthropomorphic breast phantom with inserted gold discs of 0.1 mm and 0.

Toward image quality assessment in mammography using model observers: Detection of a calcification-like object.

Purpose: Model observers (MOs) are of interest in the field of medical imaging to assess image quality. However, before procedures using MOs can be proposed in quality control guidelines for mammography systems, we need to know whether MOs are sensitive to changes in image quality and correlations in background structure. Therefore, as a proof of principle, in this study human and model observer (MO) performance are compared for the detection of calcification-like objects using different background structures and image quality levels of unprocessed mammography images.

Comparison of a flexible versus a rigid breast compression paddle: pain experience, projected breast area, radiation dose and technical image quality.

Purpose: To compare pain, projected breast area, radiation dose and image quality between flexible (FP) and rigid (RP) breast compression paddles.

Methods: The study was conducted in a Dutch mammographic screening unit (288 women). To compare both paddles one additional image with RP was made, consisting of either a mediolateral-oblique (MLO) or craniocaudal-view (CC).

Adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D versus filtered back projection in CT: evaluation of image quality.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate image quality with filtered back projection (FBP) and adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D (AIDR 3D).

Materials And Methods: Phantom acquisitions were performed at six dose levels to assess spatial resolution, noise, and low-contrast detectability (LCD). Spatial resolution was assessed with the modulation transfer function at high and low contrast levels.

Effect of dose reduction on image quality and diagnostic performance in coronary computed tomography angiography.

To evaluate the effect of radiation dose reduction on image quality and diagnostic accuracy of coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography. Coronary CT angiography studies of 40 patients with (n = 20) and without (n = 20) significant (≥50 %) stenosis were included (26 male, 14 female, 57 ± 11 years). In addition to the original clinical reconstruction (100 % dose), simulated images were created that correspond to 50, 25 and 12.

Metal artifact reduction for CT: development, implementation, and clinical comparison of a generic and a scanner-specific technique.

Purpose: To develop, implement, and compare two metal artifact reduction methods for CT.

Methods: Two methods for metal artifact reduction were developed. The first is based on applying corrections in a Radon transformation of the CT images.

Increase in perceived case suspiciousness due to local contrast optimisation in digital screening mammography.

Objectives: To determine the influence of local contrast optimisation on diagnostic accuracy and perceived suspiciousness of digital screening mammograms.

Methods: Data were collected from a screening region in the Netherlands and consisted of 263 digital screening cases (153 recalled,110 normal). Each case was available twice, once processed with a tissue equalisation (TE) algorithm and once with local contrast optimisation (PV).

Automated analysis of neuronal morphology, synapse number and synaptic recruitment.

The shape, structure and connectivity of nerve cells are important aspects of neuronal function. Genetic and epigenetic factors that alter neuronal morphology or synaptic localization of pre- and post-synaptic proteins contribute significantly to neuronal output and may underlie clinical states. To assess the impact of individual genes and disease-causing mutations on neuronal morphology, reliable methods are needed.

Cochlear coordinates in regard to cochlear implantation: a clinically individually applicable 3 dimensional CT-based method.

Setting: Cochlear implant (CI)/tertiary referral center.

Subjects: Twenty-five patients implanted with an Advanced Bionics HiRes90K HiFocus1J CI. STUDY DESIGN/MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A 3-dimensional cylindrical coordinate system is introduced using the basal turn of the cochlea as the x and y planes and the center of the modiolus as the z axis.

Development and validation of segmentation and interpolation techniques in sinograms for metal artifact suppression in CT.

Purpose: Metal prostheses cause artifacts in computed tomography (CT) images. The purpose of this work was to design an efficient and accurate metal segmentation in raw data to achieve artifact suppression and to improve CT image quality for patients with metal hip or shoulder prostheses.

Methods: The artifact suppression technique incorporates two steps: metal object segmentation in raw data and replacement of the segmented region by new values using an interpolation scheme, followed by addition of the scaled metal signal intensity.

Dose and perceived image quality in chest radiography.

Chest radiography is the most commonly performed diagnostic X-ray examination. The radiation dose to the patient for this examination is relatively low but because of its frequent use, the contribution to the collective dose is considerable. Consequently, optimization of dose and image quality offers a challenging area of research.

Automated cardiac phase selection with 64-MDCT coronary angiography.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess three different phase-selection methods for obtaining optimal CT coronary artery image quality.

Materials And Methods: ECG-gated CT coronary angiography scans of 40 patients (23 men, 17 women; mean age, 56 years) were retrieved. The patient group was composed of 20 consecutive patients with heart rates < or = 65 beats per minute (bpm) and 20 consecutive patients with heart rates > 65 bpm.

Clinical evaluation of 64-slice CT assessment of global left ventricular function using automated cardiac phase selection.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) function provides prognostic information regarding the morbidity and mortality of patients. An automated cardiac phase selection algorithm has the potential to support the assessment of LV function with computed tomography (CT). This algorithm is clinically evaluated for 64-slice cardiac CT.

A technique for simulating the effect of dose reduction on image quality in digital chest radiography.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide a pragmatic tool for studying the relationship between dose and image quality in clinical chest images. To achieve this, we developed a technique for simulating the effect of dose reduction on image quality of digital chest images.

Materials And Methods: The technique was developed for a digital charge-coupled-device (CCD) chest unit with slot-scan acquisition.

Detection of simulated nodules on clinical radiographs: dose reduction at digital posteroanterior chest radiography.

Purpose: To determine to what extent dose reduction results in decreased detection of simulated nodules on patient digital posteroanterior (PA) chest radiographs.

Materials And Methods: Raw data from 20 clinical digital PA chest images that were reported as having normal findings and that were obtained with a slot-scan charge-coupled device system were used. For research protocol that concerns data with patient identities concealed, institutional review board approval is not required.