Purpose: To evaluate the role of radiographic details in global impression of chest x-ray images viewed by experts in thoracic and non-thoracic domains. Materials and Methods: The study was approved by IRB. Five thoracic and five non-thoracic radiologists participated in two tachistoscopic (one low pass and one with the entire frequency spectrum, each lasting 270 ms) each containing 50 PA chest radiographs with 50% prevalence of pulmonary nodule. Eye movements were monitored in order to evaluate a pre-saccade shift of visual attention, saccade latency, decision time and the time to first fixation on a pulmonary nodule. Results: Thoracic radiologists showed significantly higher pre-saccadic shift of visual attention towards pulmonary nodules once using the full frequency spectrum (p < 0.05). An initial saccade orientation made by these radiologists on full resolution images correlated at significant level with their confidence ranking of pulmonary nodules (ρ = -0.387, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Thoracic radiologists benefited from high spatial frequency appearance during a rapid presentation of chest radiograph by allocating pre-saccade attention towards pulmonary nodules. This behavior correlated with a higher number of correct decisions, followed by higher confidence in the decisions made, and briefer reaction times.

Date Published: 11 March 2014
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 9037, Medical Imaging 2014: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment, 90371A (11 March 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2042828

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9037:
Medical Imaging 2014: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment
Claudia R. Mello-Thoms; Matthew A. Kupinski, Editor(s)