Optimierte Bildverarbeitung durch ein modifiziertes Pre-Processing von Bilddatensätzen eines transparenten Speicherfoliensystems am Beispiel der seitlichen HWS-Aufnahme

Purpose: To improve the diagnostic quality of lateral radiographs of the cervical spine by pre-processing the image data sets produced by a transparent imaging plate with both-side reading and to evaluate any possible impact on minimizing the number of additional radiographs and supplementary investigations. Material and Methods: One hundred lateral digital radiographs of the cervical spine were processed with two different methods: processing of each data set using the system-imminent parameters and using the manual mode. The difference between the two types of processing is the level of the latitude value. Hard copies of the processed images were judged by five radiologists and three neurosurgeons. The evaluation applied the image criteria score (ICS) without conventional reference images. Results: In 99% of the lateral radiographs of the cervical spine, all vertebral bodies could be completed delineated using the manual mode, but only 76% oft the images processed by the system-imminent parameters showed all vertebral bodies. Thus, the manual mode enabled the evaluation of up to two additional more caudal vertebral bodies. The manual mode processing was significantly better concerning object size and processing artifacts. This optimized image processing and the resultant minimization of supplementary investigations was calculated to correspond to a theoretical dose reduction of about 50%. Conclusion: The introduction of optimized organ programs for the upper and lower cervical spine based on the 12-bit data of the images should improve the evaluation of the lateral radiograph of the cervical spine without reducing the latitude value.