Comparison of image quality assessments between interventional radiographers and interventional radiologists using digital subtraction angiography

Don J. Nocum; John W. Robinson; Mark Halaki; Magnus Båth; Nejc Mekiš; Eisen Liang; Nadine Thompson; Michelle Moscova; Warren M. Reed

doi:10.1117/1.JMI.10.2.025501

10 March 2023 Comparison of image quality assessments between interventional radiographers and interventional radiologists using digital subtraction angiography

Don J. Nocum, John W. Robinson, Mark Halaki, Magnus Båth, Nejc Mekiš, Eisen Liang, Nadine Thompson, Michelle Moscova, Warren M. Reed

Author Affiliations +

Journal of Medical Imaging, Vol. 10, Issue 2, 025501 (March 2023). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMI.10.2.025501

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of our study was to compare the image quality assessments of vascular anatomy between interventional radiographers and interventional radiologists using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) runs acquired during an interventional radiology procedure.

Approach

Visual grading characteristics (VGC) analysis was used to assess image quality by comparing two groups of images, where one group consisted of procedures in which radiation dose was optimized (group A, n = 10) and one group where dose optimization was not performed (group B, n = 10). The radiation dose parameters were optimized based on theoretical and empirical evidence to achieve radiation dose reductions during uterine artery embolization procedures. The two observer groups comprised of interventional radiologists (n = 4) and interventional radiographers (n = 4). Each observer rated the image quality of 20 DSA runs using a five-point rating scale.

Results

The VGC analysis produced an area under the VGC curve (AUC_VGC) of 0.55 for interventional radiographers (P = 0.61) and AUC_VGC of 0.52 for interventional radiologists (P = 0.83). The optimization of radiation dose parameters demonstrated a reduction in kerma-area product by 35% (P = 0.026, d = 0.5) and reference air kerma (Ka, r) by 43% (P = 0.042, d = 0.5) between group A and group B.

Conclusions

VGC analysis indicated that the image quality assessments of interventional radiographers were comparable with interventional radiologists, where a reduction in radiation dose revealed no effect on both observer groups regarding their image quality assessment of vascular anatomy.

Citation Download Citation

Don J. Nocum, John W. Robinson, Mark Halaki, Magnus Båth, Nejc Mekiš, Eisen Liang, Nadine Thompson, Michelle Moscova, and Warren M. Reed "Comparison of image quality assessments between interventional radiographers and interventional radiologists using digital subtraction angiography," Journal of Medical Imaging 10(2), 025501 (10 March 2023). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMI.10.2.025501

Received: 13 October 2022; Accepted: 17 February 2023; Published: 10 March 2023

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KEYWORDS

Image quality

Radiography

Visualization

Angiography

Anatomy

Image-guided intervention

Medical imaging

Purpose

Approach

Results

Conclusions

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