Nature of expertise in searching mammograms for breast masses

Calvin F. Nodine; Harold L. Kundel; Sherri C. Lauver; Lawrence C. Toto

doi:10.1117/12.236864

Translator Disclaimer

27 March 1996 Nature of expertise in searching mammograms for breast masses

Calvin F. Nodine, Harold L. Kundel, Sherri C. Lauver, Lawrence C. Toto

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 2712, Medical Imaging 1996: Image Perception; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.236864
Event: Medical Imaging 1996, 1996, Newport Beach, CA, United States

Abstract

Eye position of observes representing four levels of training and experience: mammographers; mammography residents; mammographic technologists; and, laypersons were compared to a random search model as they examined a set of nine two-view digital mammogram pairs for breast masses. Analysis of time-to-hit data revealed that mammographers' training and experience combined to produce the most efficient search patterns as measured by the fastest search times to detect breast masses on two views. Scanning patterns of mammography residents and mammographic technologists were less efficient due to wider dispersion of visual attention that was divided between potential breast masses and perturbations in breast parenchyma. Because laypersons lacked training in radiology, bright blobs in the breast image were considered to be intuitively valid target candidates, and these features distracted search by capturing visual attention.

Citation Download Citation

Calvin F. Nodine, Harold L. Kundel, Sherri C. Lauver, and Lawrence C. Toto "Nature of expertise in searching mammograms for breast masses", Proc. SPIE 2712, Medical Imaging 1996: Image Perception, (27 March 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.236864

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE