Perceptual analysis of cancers missed in mammography screening

Claudia Mello-Thoms

doi:10.1117/12.479983

22 May 2003 Perceptual analysis of cancers missed in mammography screening

Claudia Mello-Thoms

Proceedings Volume 5034, Medical Imaging 2003: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.479983
Event: Medical Imaging 2003, 2003, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Mammography screening is recommended for a large population of women, aiming at detecting the initial signs of breast cancer. However, due to the complexity of the breast parenchyma and to the low prevalence of cancer in the screening population, among other factors, a significant fraction of cancers are not initially reported, being only found in retrospect. Fault visual search, that is, not examining the area where the cancer is located, is responsible for a third of these misses, but all other unreported cancers attract some amount of visual attention, as indicated by the duration of visual gaze in the location of the lesion. Thus, perceptual and decision making mechanisms must be understood, in order to aid radiologists in detection cancer at earlier stages. We have been working on modeling these mechanisms by using spatial frequency analysis, in a process that is inspired by the one performed by the eye-brain system. In this paper we compare the spatial frequency representation of areas that contain reported cancers and that of the same area on the previous mammogram, where the cancer was either not reported or it was reported as a benign lesion. In addition, we contrast the representation of these areas containing cancerous lesions with the representation of the corresponding area in the cancer-free contra-lateral breast.

Citation Download Citation

Claudia Mello-Thoms "Perceptual analysis of cancers missed in mammography screening", Proc. SPIE 5034, Medical Imaging 2003: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment, (22 May 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.479983

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available