title: Observer performance comparison of digital radiograph systems for stereotactic breast needle biopsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Two digital radiograph systems for stereotactic mammography, one using a lens to couple a Lanex Regular screen to a back-illuminated charge-coupled device (CCD) and one using a fiber-optic taper to couple a Min-R Regular-type screen to a front-illuminated CCD, were evaluated with respect to observer performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  A contrast-detail phantom was imaged in a variety of equivalent exposure conditions on both systems. Six observers viewed images on a video monitor and recorded which objects were detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Performance (percent correct detections) with the lens-coupled system using the Lanex Regular screen was significantly higher than with the fiber-optic-coupled system using the Min-R Regular-type screen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in absorption efficiencies of phosphors used, as well as differences in design of the two cameras, can explain differences in observer detection performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson 85724, USA.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Krupinski
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roehrig
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015588:Observer Variation; D055100:Optical Fibers; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques