Differences in time to interpretation for evaluation of bone radiographs with monitor and film viewing.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

The authors evaluated how observers search hard-copy versus soft-copy images to determine why viewing times are longer for images displayed on a monitor.

METHODS

Twenty-seven nonconsecutive bone-trauma computed radiographs were collected from the routine emergency practice. Eye positions of three bone radiologists and three orthopedic surgeons were recorded as they searched images on a view box and digital images at a workstation.

RESULTS

Overall viewing time was longer for images displayed on a monitor. Time to first fixate a lesion and true-negative dwell times were significantly longer with the monitor than with the film. Absolute numbers of clusters and dwell times were greater for diagnostic image areas on the monitor than on the film. Twenty percent of the clusters for images viewed on the monitor were on the image-processing menu.

CONCLUSION

The amount and type of information that is processed during search is different when images are viewed on a monitor rather than on film.