title: Computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD) in colposcopy: evaluation of a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A prototype system for computer-assisted colposcopic diagnosis (CAD) currently achieves a high level of accuracy of 80% (sensitivity 85%, specificity 75%) for the automatic assessment of colposcopic images. This pilot study investigated whether this type of CAD system is, in principle, capable of influencing the quality of the examiner's assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this observer study, 24 digitized colposcopic images from patients attending a dysplasia clinic were assessed by 90 participants. All participants had attended a colposcopy training workshop so that they acquired the same basic information and skills.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Wide variation was seen among the non-experts, in contrast to the experts. An overall improvement in diagnostic accuracy was noted when the CAD system was used (non-experts: sensitivity 78%, specificity 70%; experts: sensitivity 74%, specificity 70%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CAD system may serve as an aid in the further diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and has the potential to improve the diagnostic process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Erlangen University Hospital, Universitätsstrasse 21-23, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. grit.mehlhorn@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Grit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mehlhorn
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kage
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Münzenmayer
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benz
authors.forename: Martin C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Matthias W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wittenberg
mesh_terms: D003127:Colposcopy / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015588:Observer Variation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology