[Value of lung filter, asymmetric film-screen technique and digital storage screen radiography in diagnosis of coin lesion].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the image quality of an asymmetric film-screen combination (a-FSC), a conventional screen-film combination (FSC) at speed class 200, a lung filter, and digital luminescence radiograms in detecting pulmonary nodules.


METHODS
Detail perception studies were carried out with an anthropomorphic phantom. The image systems were exposed under standardised conditions with 125 kVp. The systems' perception efficiency was evaluated on the basis of 12.240 single observations with ROC analysis.


RESULTS
In the overall evaluation the a-FSC and the filter achieved equally high assessments of 0.878 +/- 0.018 and 0.860 +/- 0.21 respectively (p > 0.05). The 200 speed FSC and the storage phosphor screen radiograms did not differ significantly. In the mediastinum all the tested systems were clearly superior to the 200 speed FSC (p < 0.05). In the lung fields on the other hand the 200 speed system was given a higher assessment of 0.866 +/- 0.026. The a-FSC had slight advantages over the lung filter and the digital imagining modes (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The a-FSC and digital luminescence radiograms provide significantly more diagnostic information in the mediastinum, together with high detail detectability in the lung fields and without requiring additional dosage.
Müller
R D
RD
Zentralinstitut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universitätsklinikum Essen.
Hirche
H
H
Wähling
S
S
Gocke
C
C
Gocke
P
P
Buddenbrock
B
B
Turowski
B
B
John
V
V
Blendl
C
C
Langer
R
R
D006801:Humans; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013679:Technology, Radiologic; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens