title: Effects of quantum noise and binocular summation on dose requirements in stereoradiography.
abstract: In the case of a quantum-noise limited detector, signal detection theory suggests that stereoradiographic images can be acquired with one half of the per-image dose needed for a standard radiographic projection, as information from the two stereo images can be combined. Previously, film-screen stereoradiography has been performed using the same per-image dose as in projection radiography, i.e., doubling the total dose. In this paper, the assumption of a possible decrease in dose for stereoradiography was tested by a series of contrast-detail experiments, using phantom images acquired over a range of exposures. The number of visible details, the effective reduction of the dose, and the effective decrease in the threshold signal-to-noise ratio were determined using human observers under several display and viewing conditions. These results were averaged over five observers and compared with multiple readings by a single observer and with the results of an additional observer with limited stereoscopic acuity. Experimental results show that the total dose needed to produce a stereoradiographic image pair is approximately 1.1 times the dose needed for a single projection in standard radiography, indicating that under these conditions the human visual system demonstrates almost ideal binocular summation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. maidment@rad.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Andrew D A
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Maidment
authors.forename: Predrag R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bakic
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albert
mesh_terms: D003867:Depth Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D015588:Observer Variation; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D010780:Photogrammetry / Q000379:methods*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011858:Radiographic Magnification / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013269:Stochastic Processes