Reader characteristics linked to detection of pulmonary nodules on radiographs: ROC vs JAFROC analyses of performance

  • Akshay Kohli
  • , John W. Robinson
  • , John Ryan
  • , Mark F. McEntee
  • , Patrick C. Brennan

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingsChapterpeer-review

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore whether reader characteristics are linked to heightened levels of diagnostic performance in chest radiology using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and jackknife free response ROC (JAFROC) methodologies. A set of 40 postero-anterior chest radiographs was developed, of which 20 were abnormal containing one or more simulated nodules, of varying subtlety. Images were independently reviewed by 12 board-certified radiologists including six chest specialists. The observer performance was measured in terms of ROC and JAFROC scores. For the ROC analysis, readers were asked to rate their degree of suspicion for the presence of nodules by using a confidence rating scale (1-6). JAFROC analysis required the readers to locate and rate as many suspicious areas as they wished using the same scale and resultant data were used to generate Az and FOM scores for ROC and JAFROC analyses respectively. Using Pearson methods, scores of performance were correlated with 7 reader characteristics recorded using a questionnaire. JAFROC analysis showed that improved reader performance was significantly (p≤0.05) linked with chest specialty (p<0.03), hours per week reading chest radiographs (p<0.03) and chest readings per year (p<0.04). ROC analyses demonstrated only one significant relationship, hours per week reading chest radiographs (p<0.02).The results of this study have shown that radiologist's performance in the detection of pulmonary nodules on radiographs is significantly linked to chest specialty, hours reading per week and number of radiographs read per year. Also, JAFROC is a more powerful predictor of performance as compared to ROC.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMedical Imaging 2011
Subtitle of host publicationImage Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011
Externally publishedYes
EventMedical Imaging 2011: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment - Lake Buena Vista, FL, United States
Duration: 16 Feb 201117 Feb 2011

Publication series

NameProgress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE
Volume7966
ISSN (Print)1605-7422

Conference

ConferenceMedical Imaging 2011: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityLake Buena Vista, FL
Period16/02/1117/02/11

Keywords

  • Chest radiography
  • JAFROC methodology
  • Observer performance evaluation
  • ROC methodology

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