Elizabeth Anne Krupinski PhD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Hans Roehrig PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Takashi Matsui PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Equipment support, Eizo Nanao Corporation

Medical-grade color displays can be used for interpreting chest images without loss of diagnostic accuracy or a change in viewing time compared to monochrome displays

To determine if diagnostic accuracy and visual search efficiency with a high luminance (400 cd/m2) medical-grade color display are equivalent to a high luminance (400 cd/m2) medical-grade monochrome display.

Six radiologists viewed a series of 50 chest images, half with a solitary pulmonary nodule and half without. Using a counterbalanced design, they viewed the images once on a medical-grade 3-Mpixel color LCD display and once on a medical-grade 3-Mpixel monochrome LCD display from the same manufacturer. Both displays had a pixel pitch of 0.21 mm, were set to the same maximum (400 cd/m2) and minimum (0.75 cd/m2) luminance levels, similar white points, and were calibrated to the DICOM GSDF. Observers reported whether or not a nodule was present and their confidence in that decision. Total viewing time per image was recorded. On a subset of 15 cases eye=position was recorded. The confidence data were analyzed using the Multi-Reader Miulti-Caase Receiver Operating Characteristic technique. There was no statistically significant difference (F = 0.0136, p = 0.9078) between color (mean Az = 0.8981, se = 0.0065) and monochrome (mean Az = 0.8945, se = 0.0148) diagnostic performance. Total viewing time per image did not differ significantly (F = 0.392, p = 0.5315) as a function of color (mean = 27.36 sec, sd = 12.95) vs monochrome (mean = 28.04, sd = 14.36) display. There were no significant differences in decision dwell times (true and false, positive and negative) for color vs monochrome displays.

At least for the task of detecting nodules in chest images, diagnostic accuracy and visual search efficiency (viewing time) are equivalent when using 3-Mpixel medical-grade color and monochrome LCD displays.

Krupinski, E, Roehrig, H, Matsui, T, Diagnostic Accuracy and Visual Search Efficiency with High-Luminance Monochrome versus Color Displays.  Radiological Society of North America 2010 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28 - December 3, 2010 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2010/9003831.html