Should previous mammograms be digitised in the transition to digital mammography?
Breast screening specificity is improved if previous mammograms are available, which presents a challenge when converting to digital mammography. Two display options were investigated: mounting previous film mammograms on a multiviewer adjacent to the workstation, or digitising them for soft copy display. Eight qualified screen readers were videotaped undertaking routine screen reading for two 45-min sessions in each scenario. Analysis of gross eye and head movements showed that when digitised, previous mammograms were examined a greater number of times per case (p = 0.03), due to a combination of being used in 19% more cases (p = 0.04) and where used, looked at a greater number of times (28% increase, p = 0.04). Digitising previous mammograms reduced both the average time taken per case by 18% (p = 0.04) and the participants' perceptions of workload (p < 0.05). Digitising previous analogue mammograms may be advantageous, in particular in increasing their level of use.
Taylor-Phillips
S
S
Applied Vision Research Centre, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK. s.phillips2@lboro.ac.uk
Wallis
M G
MG
Gale
A G
AG
D044962:Data Compression / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011873:Radiology Information Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*