title: Evaluation of manual vs semi-automated delineation of liver lesions on CT images.
abstract: In this paper we compare a semi-automated delineation method with totally manual delineation for area quantification, with respect to efficiency, quality, and intra- and interobserver variability. Liver lesions on 28 CT images were delineated by three observers, twice using completely manual delineation and twice using a semi-automated method. Quantitative comparisons were performed with respect to delineated area and time required for the delineation tasks. Subjective comparisons were performed with respect to efficiency and perceived quality of the semi-automated method. The areas obtained using semi-automated delineation were significantly smaller (11 %) than those obtained using totally manual delineation. Intraobserver and interobserver variability with the semi-automated method were approximately three times lower than with manual delineation. Efficiency of the semi-automated method was subjectively rated favorable, although further improvements are possible. With respect to quality, the semi-automated method was ranked better than the manual method in 73 % of cases.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Medical Imaging Research (Radiology & ESAT), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bellon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feron
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Hoe
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Delaere
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haven
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sunaert
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Baert
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marchal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Suetens
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed