Visibility of noise texture changes in CT images

L. J. Oostveen; K. Boedeker; D. Shin; C. K. Abbey; I. Sechopoulos

doi:10.1117/12.2610736

4 April 2022 Visibility of noise texture changes in CT images

L. J. Oostveen, K. Boedeker, D. Shin, C. K. Abbey, I. Sechopoulos

Proceedings Volume 12035, Medical Imaging 2022: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment; 120351B (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2610736
Event: SPIE Medical Imaging, 2022, San Diego, California, United States

Conference Poster

Abstract

Noise texture in CT images, commonly characterized by using the noise power spectrum (NPS), is mainly dictated by the shape of the reconstruction kernel. The peak frequency of the NPS (f_peak) is often used as a one-parameter metric for characterizing noise texture. However, if the downslope of the NPS beyond the f_peak influences noise texture visibly, then f_peakis insufficient as a single descriptor. Therefore, we investigated the human-detectable differences in NPSs having different f_peak and/or downslope parameters. NPSs were estimated using various reconstruction kernels on a commercial CT scanner. To quantify NPS downslope, half of a Gaussian function was fit through the NPS portion that lies beyond f_peak. The σ of this Gaussian was used as the downslope descriptor of the NPS. A two alternative forced choice observer study was performed to determine the just noticeable- differences (JND) in f_peak only, σ only, and both simultaneously. Visibility thresholds for these changes were determined and an elliptical limiting detectability boundary was determined. The JND threshold ellipse is centered on the reference values and has a major and minor radius of 0.47 lp/cm and 0.12 lp/cm, respectively. The major radius makes an angle of 143° with the x-axis. A change in only f_peak of 0.2 lp/cm is below the detection threshold. This number changes if the apodization part of the NPS changes simultaneously. In conclusion, both the peak frequency and the apodization section of the NPS influence the detectability of changes in image noise texture.

Citation Download Citation

L. J. Oostveen, K. Boedeker, D. Shin, C. K. Abbey, and I. Sechopoulos "Visibility of noise texture changes in CT images", Proc. SPIE 12035, Medical Imaging 2022: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment, 120351B (4 April 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2610736

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