Evaluation of Soft-copy Reporting for Three Digital Systems for Chest Imaging Using New European Quality Criteria

The aim was to evaluate and compare image quality on monitors for different digital systems used for chest imaging. Soft-copy reporting for three digital systems was evaluated: two storage phosphor systems, Fuji 9501 and Agfa ADC70, and the first generation of a CCD-based system called Imix. Fifty PA chest images of volunteers were radiographed with each modality. The absorbed dose level to the patients corresponded to a 200-speed screen-film system. Modified European Quality Criteria were used to rate the visibility of normal anatomical structures. The images were viewed by six radiologists on Siemens Simomed monitors and were evaluated individually and in pairs. For all criteria, Fuji 9501 was significantly better than both ADC70 and Imix. ADC70 was significantly better than Imix for almost all criteria. The results indicate a correlation with the 'degree of maturity' of the systems; the Fuji storage phosphor systems have been developed since the early 1980s whereas the Agfa and especially the Imix systems are much more recent.