Using the human observer to assess medical image display quality

Image quality is an important component in the evaluation of medical imaging systems and can be measured at a number of points between acquisition and display. However, from the perspective of the clinician, the quality of the image that is presented to the eye-brain system is the most critical since this is what the diagnostic interpretation is derived from. This paper will discuss some ways to assess the design and optimization of display systems in reference to the human observer. The paper will include various approaches to study this issue, including Receiver Operating Characteristic studies, modeling of the human-visual system, and the use of eye-position tracking methods. The goal is to demonstrate not only the importance of assessing the impact of display image quality on diagnostic performance, but also on how it can affect workflow and user-comfort levels.