Citation

Choong, Miew Keen and Logeswaran, Rajasvaran and Bister, Michel (2007) Cost-effective handling of digital medical images in the telemedicine environment. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 76 (9). pp. 646-654. ISSN 13865056

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

Background: This paper concentrates on strategies for less costly handling of medical images. Aspects of digitization using conventional digital cameras, lossy compression with good diagnostic quality, and visualization through less costly monitors are discussed. Method: For digitization of film-based media, subjective evaluation of the suitability of digital cameras as an alternative to the digitizer was undertaken. To save on storage, bandwidth and transmission time, the acceptable degree of compression with diagnostically no loss of important data was studied through randomized double-blind tests of the subjective image quality when compression noise was kept lower than the inherent noise. A diagnostic experiment was undertaken to evaluate normal low cost computer monitors as viable viewing displays for clinicians. Results: The results show that conventional digital camera images of X-ray images were diagnostically similar to the expensive digitizer. Lossy compression, when used moderately with the imaging noise to compression noise ratio (ICR) greater than four, can bring about image improvement with better diagnostic quality than the original image. Statistical analysis shows that there is no diagnostic difference between expensive high quality monitors and conventional computer monitors. Conclusion: The results presented show good potential in implementing the proposed strategies to promote widespread cost-effective telemedicine and digital medical environments.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	T Technology > T Technology (General) Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA71-90 Instruments and machines > QA75.5-76.95 Electronic computers. Computer science
Divisions:	Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET)
Depositing User:	Ms Suzilawati Abu Samah
Date Deposited:	29 Sep 2011 06:58
Last Modified:	29 Sep 2011 06:58
URII:	http://shdl.mmu.edu.my/id/eprint/3009

Downloads

Edit (login required)