Marcus Butler
10 June 2016: The American Society of Radiologic Technologists has selected a peer-reviewed article co-authored by the University of 乐播传媒鈥檚 inaugural Professor of Medical Imaging for its annual Radiologic Technology Distinguished Author Award.
Professor Rob Davidson shares the Jean I. Widger Award with Dr Haney Alsleem of the College of Applied Medical Sciences at the University of Dammam (Saudi Arabia), for their article .
Professor Davidson said the work focuses on the ability for radiographers to detect low-contrast details in diagnostic images and compared human evaluation with software designed for the purpose.
鈥淚t is important to understand radiographers鈥 ability when viewing digital radiographic images,鈥 Professor Davidson said.
鈥淚n our research we used a specially designed object to produce a low-contrast image for our test groups of radiographers and we produced the images using three different systems to gauge a wide range of results.鈥
The research involved images created through computed radiography, indirect conversion digital radiography, and direct conversion digital radiography systems that are used daily in x-ray imaging throughout the world.
鈥淥ur research found that human radiographers performed significantly worse than the software in picking up low-contrast details from the test images.
"We concluded that radiographers need more training to better detect low-contrast details in direct conversion digital radiography.
鈥淎dditional training knowing that there is room for improvement to the radiographers鈥 skills may end up having a significant impact on patients鈥 diagnosis and treatment,鈥 he said.
Professor Davidson leads the University鈥檚 first cohort of Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (Medical Imaging) students and has several PhD candidates researching in the field as well.
The article was published in late-2015 in the journal Radiologic Technology.