OBJECTIVETo establish the optimal image post-processing parameters for digital chest radiography as preliminary research for introducing digital radiography (DR) to pneumoconiosis diagnosis in China.

METHODSA total of 204 pneumoconiosis patients and 31 dust-exposed workers were enrolled as the subjects in this research. Film-screen radiography (FSR) and DR images were taken for all subjects. DR films were printed after raw images were processed and parameters were altered using DR workstation (GE Healthcare, U.S.A.). Image gradations, lung textures, and the imaging of thoracic vertebra were evaluated by pneumoconiosis experts, and the optimal post-processing parameters were selected. Optical density was measured for both DR films and FSR films.

RESULTSFor the DR machine used in this research, the contrast adjustment (CA) and brightness adjustment (BA) were the main parameters that determine the brightness and gray levels of images. The optimal ranges for CA and BA were 115%∼120% and 160%∼165%, respectively. The quality of DR chest films would be optimized when tissue contrast was adjusted to a maximum of 0.15, edge to a minimum of 1, and both noise reduction and tissue equalization to0.The failure rate of chest DR (0.4%) was significantly lower than that of chest FSR (17%) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAfter appropriate image post-processing on DR machine purchased from GE Healthcare, the DR chest films can meet all requirements for the quality of chest X-ray films in the Chinese diagnostic criteria for pneumoconiosis.

Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; standards ; X-Ray Film

Iris image quality evaluation plays a very important part in iris computer recognition. An iris image quality evaluation method was introduced into this study to distinguish good image from bad image caused by pupil distortion, blurred boundary, two circles appearing not concentric, and severe occlusion by eyelids and eyelashes. The tests based on this method gave good results.
Humans ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; Iris ; anatomy & histology ; Pattern Recognition, Automated ; methods ; Photogrammetry ; methods ; standards

This paper is aimed to research into the information model of the Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) Structured Reporting (SR), and to introduce DICOM information object definitions (IODs) and services used for the storage and transmission of SR. The DICOM services are concerned with storage, query, retrieval, and transfer of data, and give a brief introduction to DICOM DIR. DICOM DIR is a file based on medical information. According to the DICOM DIR definition in the DICOM part ten, it may be found that the composite objects referenced in the DICOM SR. So putting forward the management of DICOM files by DICOM DIR sets, It effectively improves the efficiency of the object referenced by SR. This can increase the ability to access the data. For scientific research, medical data mining and applications, DICOM SR can profit the communication of medical information in different hospitals, and this can be useful for the analysis, research, summary, classification and extraction of a large quantity of medical information.
Computer Communication Networks ; Humans ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; methods ; standards ; Medical Records Systems, Computerized ; standards ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; methods ; Radiology Information Systems ; organization & administration ; User-Computer Interface

This paper is to approach a simple method for Wiener spectrum measurement in different medial imaging systems. The program written in VC++6.0 can be used to obtain the density datum as discrete signals by scanning films on AGFA DUOSCAN T2000XL scanner, then WS values can be calculated by using fast Fourier transform. The method is applied to different x-ray photographs and the WS values are consistent with the known datum from MD-100 micro-densimeter. The method can make automatic data collection and procedural calculation, showing the characteristics of its simplicity and high speed.
Algorithms ; Fourier Analysis ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; methods ; Quality Control ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; instrumentation ; methods ; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Radiography ; Radiology Information Systems ; standards ; X-Ray Film

Electronic medical records (EMR) is the clinical diagnosis, guiding intervention and digital medical service record of outpatient, hospital patients (or care object) in medical institution. And it is the complete, detailed clinical information resource which has produced and recorded in all previous medical treatments. Radiotherapy electronic medical records contain texts, images and graphics, therefore the information is more complicated. This paper proposes an EMR information system based on DICOM-RT standard, through the use of seven objects of DICOM-RT to achieve the information exchange and sharing between different systems, equipments, convenient radiotherapy treatment data management, improve the efficiency of radiation treatment.
Computer Communication Networks ; Humans ; Medical Records Systems, Computerized ; standards ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; methods ; Radiology Information Systems ; organization & administration ; Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; User-Computer Interface

This paper is to explore the reasonable applications of automatic exposure control in computed radiography, and to improve the quality of CR images. It is very important to select a suitable KV value in automatic exposure control in computed radiography. At the same time, a suitable ionization chamber, correct density compensation and necesary post-processing should be selected.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Automation ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Head ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Infant ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality Control ; Radiation Dosage ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; methods ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods ; standards

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the image quality of standard single-shot echo-planar imaging (ss-EPI) and that of readout-segmented EPI (rs-EPI) in patients with breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-one patients with 74 breast cancers underwent both ss-EPI and rs-EPI. For qualitative comparison of image quality, three readers independently assessed the two sets of diffusion-weighted (DW) images. To evaluate geometric distortion, a comparison was made between lesion lengths derived from contrast enhanced MR (CE-MR) images and those obtained from the corresponding DW images. For assessment of image parameters, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), lesion contrast, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. RESULTS: The rs-EPI was superior to ss-EPI in most criteria regarding the qualitative image quality. Anatomical structure distinction, delineation of the lesion, ghosting artifact, and overall image quality were significantly better in rs-EPI. Regarding the geometric distortion, lesion length on ss-EPI was significantly different from that of CE-MR, whereas there were no significant differences between CE-MR and rs-EPI. The rs-EPI was superior to ss-EPI in SNR and CNR. CONCLUSION: Readout-segmented EPI is superior to ss-EPI in the aspect of image quality in DW MR imaging of the breast.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Artifacts ; Breast/pathology ; Breast Neoplasms/pathology ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods/*standards ; Echo-Planar Imaging/methods/*standards ; Female ; Humans ; Image Enhancement/methods/*standards ; Middle Aged ; Observer Variation ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of CT scanning in preoperative diagnosis of early cervical carcinoma.

METHODSAbdominal and pelvic CT scans (MPR pictures for 50 patients) in 102 cervical carcinoma patients proven by biopsy pathology were retrospectively analyzed and compared with surgical pathologic findings. The pathological stages included > or = Ia in 39 patients, Ib 1 in 35, Ib 2 in 21, IIa in 6, IIb in 1. The tumor detection ability, thickness of cervical tumor invasion, T stage and lymph node stage showed by CT scan were evaluated.

RESULTSCT was not able to detect < or = Ia cervical carcinoma, however, CT was able to detect tumors in 71.4% of > or = Ib 1 stage (45/63) and 71.4% > or = Ib 2 (20/28), it also showed the depth of tumor invasion in 39.7% > or = Ib 1 (25/63). The overall accuracy of CT staging for tumor was 69.6% and the rate of metastatic lymph node detection 63.6% (7/11). With additional MPR pictures of spiral CT, the detection ability, vaginal involvement and objective shape of cervical tumor was improved. The cervical carcinoma in CT scan was found to be as homogeneous in 54.9% of patients (56/102), hypodense or heterogeneous in 42.2% (43/102), lower density nodual in 41.9% (18/43); occasionally as heterogeneous or hyperdensity noduals or irregular border of the cervix. The features of metastatic lymph nodes in CT scan were rounded or spheroid shape of soft tissue noduals with heterogeneous density caused by central necrosis and rim enhancement.

CONCLUSIONCT scanning may be valuable in detection of > or = Ib 1 rather than < Ib 1 stage early cervical carcinoma. The additional MPR pictures of spiral CT is not only helpful in detecting tumor but also in determining the extension of cervical carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary ; Cervix Uteri ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; methods ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Staging ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods ; standards ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology