The impact of simulated motion blur on lesion detection performance in full field digital mammography

Abdullah, AK; Thompson, JD; Kelly, J; Mercer, CE; Aspin, R; Hogg, P

Abstract

Objective: Motion blur is a known phenomenon in full-field digital mammography, but the impact on lesion detection is unknown. This is the first study to investigate detection performance with varying magnitudes of simulated motion blur.
Method: Seven observers (15±5 years’ reporting experience) evaluated 248 cases (62 containing malignant masses, 62 containing malignant microcalcifications and 124 normal cases) for three conditions: no blurring (0 mm) and two magnitudes of simulated blurring (0.7 mm and 1.5 mm). Abnormal cases were biopsy proven. Mathematical simulation was used to provide a pixel shift in order to simulate motion blur. A free-response observer study was conducted to compare lesion detection performance for the three conditions. The equally weighted jackknife alternative free-response receiver operating characteristic (wJAFROC) was used as the figure of merit. Test alpha was set at 0.05 to control probability of Type I error.
Results: wJAFROC analysis found a statistically significant difference in lesion detection performance for both masses (F(2,22) = 6.01, P=0.0084) and microcalcifications (F(2,49) = 23.14, P<0.0001). The figures of merit reduced as the magnitude of simulated blurring increased. Statistical differences were found between some of the pairs investigated for the detection of masses (0.0mm v 0.7mm, and 0.0mm v 1.5mm) and all pairs for microcalcifications (0.0 mm v 0.7 mm, 0.0 mm v 1.5 mm, and 0.7 mm v 1.5 mm). No difference was detected between 0.7 mm and 1.5 mm for masses.
Conclusion: Mathematical simulation of motion blur caused a statistically significant reduction in lesion detection performance. These false negative decisions could have implications for clinical practice.
Advances in knowledge: This research demonstrates for the first time that motion blur has a negative and statistically significant impact on lesion detection performance digital mammography.

Citation

Abdullah, A., Thompson, J., Kelly, J., Mercer, C., Aspin, R., & Hogg, P. (2017). The impact of simulated motion blur on lesion detection performance in full field digital mammography. British Journal of Radiology, 90(1075), https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20160871

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 9, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jun 16, 2017
• Publication Date: Jun 16, 2017
• Deposit Date: May 9, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: May 16, 2018
• Journal: British Journal of Radiology
• Print ISSN: 0007-1285
• Electronic ISSN: 1748-880X
• Publisher: British Institute of Radiology
• Volume: 90
• Issue: 1075
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20160871
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20160871
• Related Public URLs: http://www.bir.org.uk/publications/journals/; http://www.birpublications.org/toc/bjr/current