title: The use of visual search for knowledge gathering in image decision support.
abstract: This paper presents a new method of knowledge gathering for decision support in image understanding based on information extracted from the dynamics of saccadic eye movements. The framework involves the construction of a generic image feature extraction library, from which the feature extractors that are most relevant to the visual assessment by domain experts are determined automatically through factor analysis. The dynamics of the visual search are analyzed by using the Markov model for providing training information to novices on how and where to look for image features. The validity of the framework has been evaluated in a clinical scenario whereby the pulmonary vascular distribution on Computed Tomography images was assessed by experienced radiologists as a potential indicator of heart failure. The performance of the system has been demonstrated by training four novices to follow the visual assessment behavior of two experienced observers. In all cases, the accuracy of the students improved from near random decision making (33%) to accuracies ranging from 50% to 68%.
authors.affiliation: Royal Society/Wolfson Foundation Medical Image Computing Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dempere-Marco
authors.forename: Xiao-Peng
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Sharyn L S
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hansell
authors.forename: Guang-Zhong
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005103:Expert Systems; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008390:Markov Chains; D008954:Models, Biological; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology