Limitations of quantitative bone-mass measurements using assessments of first-order statistics of grey-level histograms in plain radiographs.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the quality assurance of image-processing techniques in plain radiographs of skeletal structures.


METHODS
Twenty-two patients were studied, each with one osteolytic metastasis. Accuracy and precision of tube voltage and timer were confirmed. The mean value of grey-level histograms in plain radiographs (MVGLHs) was assessed. The deviation was monitored after five sets of sequential X-rays retaining the same settings for each radiograph.


RESULTS
Deviation was significantly higher in anatomical areas of thorax (21.2%) and abdomen (42.4%), while the consistency of MVGLH for weight-bearing bones was satisfactory with a maximum deviation of 2.9% (P<0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test).


CONCLUSIONS
Assessment of MVGLH in plain radiographs is a reliable method for the extremities and generally for regions without superimposed movable tissues.
Kouloulias
V E
VE
Areteion University Hospital, Radiology Department, Athens, Greece. vkouloul@cc.ece.ntua.gr
Matsopoulos
G
G
Kouvaris
J R
JR
Antypas
C
C
Uzunoglu
N C
NC
Varela
M N
MN
Metafa
A
A
Sandilos
P
P
Vlahos
L J
LJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000592:standards*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric