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Impact of Ambient Light and Window Settings on the Detectability of Catheters on Soft-Copy Display of Chest Radiographs at Bedside

¹ Department of Radiology, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna A-1090, Austria.
² Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, University of Vienna, Vienna A-1090, Austria.
³ Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Clinical and Experimental Radiologic Research, University of Vienna, Vienna A-1090, Austria.

OBJECTIVE. The aim of this study was to evaluate how ambient light and interactive adjustment of density and contrast affect the detection of catheter fragments when interpreting bedside chest radiographs on soft-copy displays.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 131 catheter fragments were superimposed over 10 bedside chest radiographs obtained with storage phosphor technology. Images were displayed on a clinical intensive care unit viewing station (color cathode-ray tube monitor, 21 inch [53 cm], 1280 x 1024 matrix) and were independently evaluated by five radiologists. The number of catheter fragments per image varied between 12 and 14, with an approximately equal distribution in high- and low-absorption areas. Detectability of catheter fragments was assessed under subdued and bright ambient light conditions with and without interactive adjustment of window width and level.

RESULTS. Under subdued light, the detection rate of catheter fragments was significantly higher than under bright light (51.8% vs 56.6%, p < 0.05). Interactive window setting adjustment significantly increased the detection rate from 52.5% to 60.8% (p < 0.05) under subdued light and from 47.9% to 55.6% (p < 0.05) under bright light. With adjustment of window settings, the difference between the detection rates under subdued light (60.8%) and under bright light (55.6%) did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSION. Detection of catheters on soft-copy display is significantly decreased by bright ambient light, an effect that can be largely compensated for by means of interactive adjustment of window settings.

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