Defining thresholds for changes in size of simulated T2-hyperintense brain lesions on the basis of qualitative comparisons.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to define thresholds below which trained reviewers cannot detect changes in the size of T2-hyperintense brain lesions.


METHODS
We generated T2-weighted brain MR images (TR/TE, 4000/80) with simulated hyperintense lesions derived from a real multiple sclerosis plaque. The size of the original multiple sclerosis lesion was varied by scaling up or down the lesion using a bicubic interpolation method. Three hundred seventy-eight composite images, in which two T2-weighted images containing lesions were paired, were presented to three equally trained neuroradiologists to define thresholds below which changes in original lesion size could not be detected. Stepwise logistic regression was used to evaluate the dependency of size thresholds on the original size of the lesion.


RESULTS
Thresholds ranged from a 5% to 15% increase in the original lesion diameter. For increases greater than 15%, all three reviewers detected the change in lesion size irrespective of the diameter of the original lesion. There was a dependency of the threshold on the diameter of the original lesion (p = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Using an MR simulator, we can define thresholds below which changes in original lesion size cannot be reliably detected. These results may guide the design of clinical trials that rely on trained reviewers to assess change in lesion burden.
Melhem
Elias R
ER
Division of Neuroradiology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287-7619, USA.
Herskovits
Edward H
EH
Karli-Oguz
Kader
K
Golay
Xavier
X
Hammoud
Dima A
DA
Fortman
Brian J
BJ
Munter
Fletcher M
FM
Itoh
Ryuta
R
D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015588:Observer Variation