DIAGNOSTIC TASK SIMULATION WITH MULTI-ELEMENT PHANTOMS

本项目将探索一种新的测量相对诊断率的方法 成像系统的准确性。目前临床影像的广泛使用 有几个缺点，其中之一是大量重复劳动， 由于在一个地点获得临床病例的结果很难 推算到其他站点。我们将模拟临床病例，使用多个 元素幻影。一组权重，每个虚元素一个，将是 用多元线性回归技术发现。重量将会是 使得当在模体上测量相对观察者性能时 元素被适当地组合，则结果是对 相对临床表现。在这项研究中，我们将研究 模拟方法学对两个临床任务的适用性， 气胸和结节的检测。我们将检验这一假设 用多元素体模预测的相对性能，以及 直接用临床病例测量，会相互吻合。一个 这样做的结果是，将获得相同的排名 不同的成像系统，无论是通过临床病例还是通过临床病例进行测量 带着幻影。该项目意义重大，因为该模型可能会被 其他机构，这将导致更容易概括的工作。 此外，可以为任何多元素体模确定权重，而不仅仅是 将由我们开发的那个。因此，可以使用现有的幻影 更多量化，导致更好的图像质量标准化 测量。建议的工作相当于开发一个二次 评估成像方式的标准，预计它将 补充现有的主要标准，即临床病例。

This project will explore a new method of measuring the relative diagnostic accuracy of imaging systems. The current widespread use of clinical images has several drawbacks, among which is the extensive duplication of effort, since results obtained with clinical cases at one site are difficult to extrapolate to other sites. We will simulate clinical cases with a multi- element phantom. A set of weights, one for each phantom element, will be found with multivariate linear regression techniques. The weights will be such that when relative observer performance measured on the phantom elements is appropriately combined, the result is a prediction of the relative clinical performance. In this study we will study the applicability of the simulation methodology for two clinical tasks, pneumothorax and nodule detection. We will test the hypothesis that relative performances predicted with the multi-element phantom, and directly measured with clinical cases, will agree with each other. A consequence of this is that the same rankings will be obtained for different imaging systems whether one measures them with clinical cases or with phantoms. The project is significant as the phantom may be used by other institutions, and this will lead to more easily generalizable work. Also, the weights may be determined for any multi-element phantom, not just the one to be developed by us. Consequently, existing phantoms can be used more quantitatively, leading to better standardization of image quality measurements. The proposed work is equivalent to developing a secondary standard for evaluating imaging modalities, and it is expected to complement the existing primary standard, namely, clinical cases.