title: Influence of monitor luminance and room illumination on soft-copy reading evaluation with electronically generated contrast-detail phantom: comparison of cathode-ray tube monitor with liquid crystal display.
abstract: The influence of monitor brightness and room illumination on soft-copy diagnosis by both cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitor and liquid crystal display (LCD) was evaluated and compared using a contrast-detail phantom. Nine observers (7 radiologists and 2 radiological technicians) interpreted six types of electronically generated contrast-detail phantom images using a 21-inch CRT (2,048x2,560) and a 21-inch LCD (2,048x2,560) under 6 kinds of viewing conditions, i.e. monitor brightness of 330 cd/m2 or 450 cd/m2, and room illumination of 20, 100 or 420 lux at the center of the display. Observers were requested to determine the visible borderline of the objects. Between 330 cd/m2 and 450 cd/m2, no significant difference in the visible area was found under any of the three lighting conditions. However, in two low-contrast phantom images, the visible area on the LCD was significantly larger than that on the CRT, independent of both monitor brightness and room illumination. (p<0.05). The effect of room illumination was not significant, suggesting that the use of LCD at high room illumination is acceptable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kasugai Municipal Hospital, Kasugai Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Muramoto
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimamoto
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Hiromichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishigaki
mesh_terms: D003201:Computers; D003626:Data Display; D006801:Humans; D050866:Liquid Crystals; D049449:Luminescence; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D013679:Technology, Radiologic