Abstract
The interpretation of NMR images at Aberdeen is most often performed by the individual study of the proton density, difference, inversion recovery and T1 image. This report investigates the usefulness of presenting the information from a pair of images, in this instance the T1 and proton density images, in a single composite image. Information from the two images is combined such that the values from one image are represented by a change in hue (colour), and the values from the other by a change in luminance (intensity). To test the advantages of such combined images, a trial was run using a selection of prediagnosed abnormal brain scans. The information perceived as hue and luminance in the combined images was compared with that from separate conventional monochrome proton density and T1 images. Medical and nonmedical users were told the final diagnosis and were asked whether it was possible to see more, less, or the same information with regard to clinically relevant details in the structure of the abnormality and the image as whole. The results have revealed that for the majority of cases the combined image format can effectively represent the information normally contained in both the monochrome proton density and T1 images—thus speeding up the image viewing process.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bouma, P. J. (1971)Physical aspects of colour. Macmillan Press, London.
Crowe, E. J., Sharp, P. F., Undrill, P. E. andRoss, P. G. B. (1988) Effectiveness of colour in displaying radionuclide images.Med. & Biol. Eng. & Comput.,26, 57–61.
de Valk, J. P. J., Epping, W. J. M. andHeringa, A. (1985) Colour representation of biomedical data.,23, 343–351.
Edelstein, W. A., Hutchison, J. M. S., Johnson, G. andRedpath, T. (1980) Spin warp NMR imaging and applications to human whole body imaging.Phys in Med. & Biol.,25, 751–756.
Hutchison, J. M. S. andSmith, F. W. (1981) Human NMR imaging. InNuclear magnetic resonance images in medicine.Kaufman, L., Crools, L. E. andMargulis, A. R. (Eds) Igaku-Shoin, New York.
Meredith, W. J. andMassey, J. B. (1984)Fundamental physics of radiology. Year Book Medical Publishers, Chicago, 342–345.
Milan, J. andTaylor, K. J. W. (1975) The application of the temperature scale to ultrasound imaging.J. Clin. Ulrasound,3, 171–173.
Redpath, T. W., Hutchison, J. M. S., Eastwood, L. M., Selbie, R. D., Johson, G. andMallard, J. R. (1987) A low field imager for clinical use.J. Phys. E: Sci. Instrum.,20, 1228–1234.
Redpath, T. W. andJones, R. A. (1988) A new fast imaging sequences.Mag. Res. in Med.,6, 224–234.
Redpath, T. W., Smith, F. W. andHutchison, J. M. S. (1988) Magnetic resonance image synthesis from an interleaved saturation recovery/inversion recovery sequence.Br. J. Radiol.,61, 619–624.
Ridgeway, J. (1984) The presentation of N. M. R. images. M.Sc. Thesis, Aberdeen, University Library, 39.
Siegel, S. (1971)Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral, sciences. McGraw Hill, London, 68–75.
Wyszecki, G. andStiles, W. S. (1982)Colour science: concepts and methods, quantitative data and formulae. Wiley, New York.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wells, M.G., Sharp, P.F. & Law, A.N.R. Principles and appraisal of combined images in NMR. Med. Biol. Eng. Comput. 27, 277–280 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02441485
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02441485