title: Cause of satisfaction of search effects in contrast studies of the abdomen.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Extraintestinal abnormalities visible without contrast material on abdominal radiographs are reported less frequently when contrast examinations are performed. Gaze dwell time was used to determine whether this difference is due to failure by observers to scan plain-film regions of contrast studies or discounting of plain-film abnormalities that were actually scanned.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were included whose contrast studies had elicited the largest reductions in positive responses compared with their plain-film studies in a previous detection experiment. Gaze of 10 radiologists was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly less time was spent gazing at non-contrast regions of contrast examinations than at the corresponding regions of radiographs. Errors with radiographs were based primarily on failures of recognition and decision making, whereas errors with contrast studies were based primarily on faulty scanning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Satisfaction of search errors on contrast examinations are caused by reduction in scanning of noncontrast regions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Berbaum
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Franken
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Dorfman
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Krupinski
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kreinbring
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005133:Eye Movements; D005403:Fixation, Ocular; D006801:Humans; D012372:ROC Curve; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D014796:Visual Perception
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media