title: Diffusion-Weighted Imaging with Color-Coded Images: Towards a Reduction in Reading Time While Keeping a Similar Accuracy.
abstract: The aim of this study was to develop a diagnostic tool capable of providing diffusion and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map information in a single color-coded image and to assess the performance of color-coded images compared with their corresponding diffusion and ADC map. The institutional review board approved this retrospective study, which sequentially enrolled 36 head MRI scans. Diffusion-weighted images (DWI) and ADC maps were compared to their corresponding color-coded images. Four raters had their interobserver agreement measured for both conventional (DWI) and color-coded images. Differences between conventional and color-coded images were also estimated for each of the 4 raters. Cohen's kappa and percent agreement were used. Also, paired-samples t-test was used to compare reading time for rater 1. Conventional and color-coded images had substantial or almost perfect agreement for all raters. Mean reading time of rater 1 was 47.4 seconds for DWI and 27.9 seconds for color-coded images (P = .00007). These findings are important because they support the role of color-coded images as being equivalent to that of the conventional DWI in terms of diagnostic capability. Reduction in reading time (which makes the reading easier) is also demonstrated for one rater in this study.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Diagnóstico por Imagem da Escola Paulista de Medicina da UNIFESP, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 800 Vila Clementino, 04024-002 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9992-5630
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Campos Kitamura
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Diagnóstico por Imagem da Escola Paulista de Medicina da UNIFESP, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 800 Vila Clementino, 04024-002 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Srhael
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Medeiros Alves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Diagnóstico por Imagem da Escola Paulista de Medicina da UNIFESP, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 800 Vila Clementino, 04024-002 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Antônio Tobaru Tibana
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Diagnóstico por Imagem da Escola Paulista de Medicina da UNIFESP, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 800 Vila Clementino, 04024-002 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nitamar
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0421-0959
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abdala