title: Visual evaluation and usefulness of medical high-resolution liquid-crystal displays with use of independent sub-pixel driving technology.
abstract: Liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) used for medical imaging, such as luminance characteristics and panel surface processing, have been developed as a medium substituting for film. There are various models of and specifications for display, but those compatible with high-resolution radiographic diagnostic images have been required with the recent progression of high-resolution modalities. Displays are necessary for faithful presentation of radiographic diagnostic images acquired by X-ray systems. In independent sub-pixel driving (ISD) technology, aiming at high-resolution display, three sub-pixels contained in one pixel of the LCD independently display images, which increases the threefold resolutions in direction of the sub-pixels, facilitating faithful image display with less curtailed pixels. This is a new display technology which may improve the diagnostic performance with regard to reading of medical images. We evaluated the characteristics of ISD technology and performed a visual evaluation of phantom images to investigate its usefulness. After confirming the physical properties of LCDs, we performed a visual evaluation of CDMAM phantom images employing the calculated image quality figure (IQF). The detectability of 15 mega-sub-pixel (15 MsP) significantly improved despite the specification being 5 mega-pixel (5 MP), and that of 9 MsP was higher than that of 5 MP despite the specification being 3 MP. The usefulness of ISD for 6 MsP was also confirmed. Therefore, ISD technology was useful for all LCDs. ISD technology markedly advanced the LCD display performance for medical use.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Radiology, Tottori University Hospital, 36-1 Nishi-Machi, Yonago, Tottori, Japan. yamadachs-ttr@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Seigo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Toshihide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogawa
mesh_terms: D003626:Data Display; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008327:Mammography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013679:Technology, Radiologic