Marcus Butler
10 June 2016: The American Society of Radiologic Technologists has selected a peer-reviewed article co-authored by the University of Canberra’s inaugural Professor of Medical Imaging for its annual Radiologic Technology Distinguished Author Award.
Professor Rob Davidson shares the Jean I. Widger Award with Dr Haney Alsleem of the College of Applied Medical Sciences at the University of Dammam (Saudi Arabia), for their article Radiographers’ Ability to Detect Low-Contrast Detail in Digital Radiography Systems.
Professor Davidson said the work focuses on the ability for radiographers to detect low-contrast details in diagnostic images and compared human evaluation with software designed for the purpose.
“It is important to understand radiographers’ ability when viewing digital radiographic images,” Professor Davidson said.
“In our research we used a specially designed object to produce a low-contrast image for our test groups of radiographers and we produced the images using three different systems to gauge a wide range of results.”
The research involved images created through computed radiography, indirect conversion digital radiography, and direct conversion digital radiography systems that are used daily in x-ray imaging throughout the world.
“Our research found that human radiographers performed significantly worse than the software in picking up low-contrast details from the test images.
"We concluded that radiographers need more training to better detect low-contrast details in direct conversion digital radiography.
“Additional training knowing that there is room for improvement to the radiographers’ skills may end up having a significant impact on patients’ diagnosis and treatment,” he said.
Professor Davidson leads the University’s first cohort of Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (Medical Imaging) students and has several PhD candidates researching in the field as well.
The article was published in late-2015 in the journal Radiologic Technology.
