Validation of a candidate instrument to assess image quality in digital mammography using ROC analysis

PurposeTo validate a candidate instrument, to be used by different professionals assess image quality in digital mammography (DM), against detection performance results.MethodsA receiver operating characteristics (ROC) study was conducted the DM images with four levels due issues. Fourteen expert breast radiologists from five countries assessed set of 80 cases, containing 60 lesions (40 cancers, 20 benign findings) and normal cases. A visual grading analysis (VGA) using previously-described instrument evaluate subset 25 ROC study. Eight that had participated study, seven breast-imaging physicists, evaluated this subset. The VGA score (VGAS) (VGC) areas under curve (AUCROC AUCVGC) were compared.ResultsNo large differences among detected either or studies. However, ranking consistent: level 1 (partial AUCROC: 0.070, VGAS: 6.77) performed better than 2 (0.066, 6.15), 3 (0.061, 5.82), 4 (0.062, 5.37). Similarity between radiologists’ physicists’ assessments found (average VGAS difference 10 %).ConclusionsThe results correlate those analysis, when observer group. Therefore, it may professionals, such as radiologists, radiographers, clinically-relevant variations DM.