Direction of an initial saccade depends on radiological expertise

Mariusz W. Pietrzyk; Mark F. McEntee; Michael E. Evanoff; Patrick C. Brennan; Claudia R. Mello-Thoms

doi:10.1117/12.2042828

11 March 2014 Direction of an initial saccade depends on radiological expertise

Mariusz W. Pietrzyk, Mark F. McEntee, Michael E. Evanoff, Patrick C. Brennan, Claudia R. Mello-Thoms

Proceedings Volume 9037, Medical Imaging 2014: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment; 90371A (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2042828
Event: SPIE Medical Imaging, 2014, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the role of radiographic details in global impression of chest x-ray images viewed by experts in thoracic and non-thoracic domains. Materials and Methods: The study was approved by IRB. Five thoracic and five non-thoracic radiologists participated in two tachistoscopic (one low pass and one with the entire frequency spectrum, each lasting 270 ms) each containing 50 PA chest radiographs with 50% prevalence of pulmonary nodule. Eye movements were monitored in order to evaluate a pre-saccade shift of visual attention, saccade latency, decision time and the time to first fixation on a pulmonary nodule. Results: Thoracic radiologists showed significantly higher pre-saccadic shift of visual attention towards pulmonary nodules once using the full frequency spectrum (p < 0.05). An initial saccade orientation made by these radiologists on full resolution images correlated at significant level with their confidence ranking of pulmonary nodules (ρ = -0.387, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Thoracic radiologists benefited from high spatial frequency appearance during a rapid presentation of chest radiograph by allocating pre-saccade attention towards pulmonary nodules. This behavior correlated with a higher number of correct decisions, followed by higher confidence in the decisions made, and briefer reaction times.

Citation Download Citation

Mariusz W. Pietrzyk, Mark F. McEntee, Michael E. Evanoff, Patrick C. Brennan, and Claudia R. Mello-Thoms "Direction of an initial saccade depends on radiological expertise ", Proc. SPIE 9037, Medical Imaging 2014: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment, 90371A (11 March 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2042828

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