Image Quality

Introduction

The technology is recognized as an effective tool and become the partner of the science in terms of its purpose in medication. The application of the technology is not new in the medical industry and most of the health care professionals are relying on the ability of the technology to discover the most appropriate solution in every diseases and illnesses. The continuous growth of innovation in technology is another great opportunity for the health care settings to improve the delivery of their services.

Background and Problem Statement

The applied technique in imaging is called the portable chest radiographs which are primarily found in the intensive care unit. It is described as a clinical practice which is necessary to produce the temporal subtraction of images in good quality. The objective of the method is to evaluate the image quality taken from the body wherein most of the medical practitioners rely on its representations (Sakai, et. al., 2006). However, the poor image might lead to the miscalculations or wrong interpretations of the health care professionals. Therefore, what would be the reasons of the images to be rejected?

Research Objectives

The first objective of the study is to recognize the reason of rejection in the portable chest radiographs which can cause great problem in medical professionalism. The second objective is to recognize the other solution wherein the inventors or the engineers can use to provide the quality image; or for the introduction of standards for the medical practitioners.

Research Questions

In the study of the portable chest radiographs, it is expected that there are many difficulties ahead. Therefore, as a guide, the study prepared several questions that can help the study achieve and meet the set objectives.

1. What are the practices of the radiographers that might affect the quality of imaging?

2. What are the images used by the medical practitioners to generate their medical findings and their advices?

3. What are the other applied models or positions in portable chest radiographs to achieve the quality imaging?

Literature Review

Most of the images are taken in the upright positions (Sakai, e., al., 2006). Portable chest radiographs is a valuable tool which is used for patient’s screening. Provided with the visual cues that can help for the diagnosis and physiological measurements, the quality of the images is often questioned. The outcome of the images might be affected by misaligned body or positions of both patient and/or radiographer. In addition, the past researchers’ gives value in the increase application of the X-rays that may affect the quality of the images and be the cause of the misinterpretations (Iakovidis, Savelonas, and Papamichalis, 2009). Through the application of various methods, the reasons for the rejection of the technique is identified in which can help the improvement of the portable chest radiographs and the involved participants. The idea of the collimation, or the design of the optical axis which is used in adjusting the images, and the lordosis, or the applied term in the inward curve in the cervical or lumber column in the human body, are also given consideration as one of the reason for an image to be rejected. Admittedly, portable chest radiographs are suffering in low quality such as the misalignment of the positions during the acquisition that can highly affect the interpretation of the medical experts (Iakovidis and Papamichalis, 2008). The reason for rejection comes in different situations and in numbers. First, and probably the most common images in the application of the portable chest radiographs is the position errors and the applied methods to improve the images. Rejects can be also come from the software or the use of the system. The tool includes various components can also affect the image. But most of the studies show that the involvement of the motion of the patient is the most manifested reason for the rejection of the image. Seconded to this fact, is the over exposure in various rays that might result in blurring of the image (Foos, et. al., 2008).

Methodology

The use of the comparative case study method is the most comprehensible methodology suggested by the study. The previous yet successful studies can help the current study to generate its own analysis regarding the quality of imaging. Through comparing the related materials and their review of analysis, the study has an opportunity to identify what would be the possible reason in images to be rejected. In addition, based on the applied method, the study can also formulate its own suggestion on how to achieve the quality imaging in portable chest radiographs.

References:

Foos, D., Sehnert, W.J., Reiner, B., Siegel, E.L., Segal, A., & Waldman, D., (2008) “Digital Radiography Reject Analysis: Data Collection Methodology, Results, and Recommendations from an In-depth Investigation at Two Hospitals”, Journal of Digital Imaging.

Iakovidis, D., & Papamichalis, G., (2008) “Automatic Segmentation of the Lung Fields in Portable Chest Radiographs Based on Bézier Interpolation of the Salient Control Points”, International Workshop on Imaging Systems and Techniques, Accessed 23 March 2010, from http://www.debugit.eu/documents/IST2008.pdf

Iakovidis, D.K., Savelonas, M.A, & Papamichalis, G., (2009) “Robust Model-Based Detection of the Lung Field Boundaries in Portable Chest Radiographs Supported by Selective Thresholding”, Journal of Measurement Science & Technology, Accessed 23 March 2010, from http://www.debugit.eu/documents/MEASSCITECHNOL2009.pdf

Sakai, S., Soeda, H., Furuya, A., Yabuuchi, H., Okafuji, T., Yamamoto, K., Honda, H., & Doi, K., (2006) “Evaluation of the Image Quality of Temporal Subtraction Images Produced Automatically in a PACS Environment”, Journal of Digital Imaging, Vol. 19, No 4, Accessed 23 March 2010, from http://www.clg.niigata-u.ac.jp/~tsai/homepage/lecture/Image_Quality_PACS_JDI_Dec_2006.pdf