title: Introduction to perceptual linearization of video display systems for medical image presentation.
abstract: The perceptual linearization of video display systems should play a significant role in medical image presentation. It maximizes the faithfulness of information transfer to the human observer; it provides a method for standardizing the appearance of images across different display devices; and it allows for calculation of the inherent contrast resolution of different display devices. This paper provides insight into the process of perceptual linearization by decomposing it into the digital driving level-to-monitor luminance relationship, the monitor luminance-to-human brightness perception relationship, and the construction of a linearization function derived from these two relationships. A discussion of previous work in these areas is given. We then compare and contrast the results of previous work with recent experiments in our laboratory and related work in vision and computer science. We conclude that (1) sufficiently good visual models exist for agreeing on a standard method of calculating the perceptual linearization function; (2) improvements in the resolution and luminance distribution of the digital-to-analog circuitry in display systems are required for medical imaging; and (3), methods for calculating a linearization remapping from a perceptual linearization function currently have significant error and should be replaced with methods that minimize perceptual error.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 27599-7510, USA.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hemminger
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rolland
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Muller
mesh_terms: D000703:Analog-Digital Conversion; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology; D003626:Data Display; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007256:Information Systems; D008027:Light; D015588:Observer Variation; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology