Selenium-based digital radiography in the detection of bone lesions: preliminary experience with experimentally created defects.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the diagnostic performance of selenium-based digital radiography with that of conventional screen-film radiography and storage phosphor radiography for the detection of bone lesions simulating osteolyses.


METHODS
Artificial osseous lesions 1.0-3.0 mm in diameter were created in 80 of 160 predefined regions in 16 porcine femoral specimens. Specimens were enclosed in containers filled with paraffin to ensure accurate repositioning and to obtain an absorption condition comparable to that of a human extremity. Imaging was performed with a selenium-based digital radiography system, a conventional screen-film system, and a storage phosphor radiography system with an exposure identical to that used during clinical imaging. The presence of a lesion was assessed with a five-point confidence scale. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed for a total of 1,440 observations (480 per modality), and diagnostic performance was estimated with the area under the ROC curve (A(z)). Differences in diagnostic performance were assessed with the paired Student t test.


RESULTS
ROC analysis results showed A(z) values of 0.656 for selenium-based digital radiography, 0.679 for storage phosphor radiography, and 0.680 for conventional screen-film radiography. Differences between the three modalities were not significant (P =.60-.93).


CONCLUSIONS
Image quality with selenium-based digital radiography was comparable to that with conventional screen-film radiography and storage phosphor radiography.
Ludwig
K
K
Department of Clinical Radiology, University of Muenster, Albert Schweitzer Strasse 33, D-48129 Muenster, Germany. Received July 8, lud@uni-muenster.de
Link
T M
TM
Fiebich
M
M
Renger
B
B
Diederich
S
S
Oelerich
M
M
Lenzen
H
H
Heindel
W
W
D000818:Animals; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D012372:ROC Curve; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D012643:Selenium; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013552:Swine; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens
D012643:Selenium