In digital medical imaging the quality of the diagnostic monitor
is of crucial importance. Because of their specific use medical displays
are supposed to provide a much higher level of performance than
ordinary computer monitors do. To be able to make an accurate diagnosis,
medical staff needs monitors that are able to display the most subtle
detail of a scan or an X-ray clearly and precisely. So, even though the
choice of a monitor is directly dependent on the type of images that
will be viewed on it, there are several aspects that are important for
every medical display regardless of its use. Here are some useful hints
on what to pay attention to when selecting a medical monitor.
1. Size and Resolution
Some types of medical images are very large and have a high resolution. Viewing this kind of image - for example, a chest X-ray - on a standard-sized 2MP monitor, the diagnostician will not be able to see important details of the image, or will not be able to see the whole image. A display with a bigger diagonal size and resolution is able to reproduce larger images in detail. While a 3MP display would be enough for images like MRI or CT, mammography requires a higher resolution - at least 4 or 5MP. 6MP monitors are able to reproduce nearly any medical image and make great diagnostic displays.
2. Grayscale or Color?
In the early years of medical displays they were grayscale only, as excluding color allowed increasing the brightness of a display. However, as digital imaging technology progressed, the need for color medical displays appeared. Today both color and grayscale medical monitors are available on the market, though medical imaging standards are more specific about the gray scale reproduction capabilities of a display than they are about color.
3. Luminance
Display luminance influences the aspect of an image greatly. A low-brightness display will not be able to reproduce all the shades of gray on a medical image, and consequently the diagnostician can miss some important details that are barely discernible. It is also important that luminance be consistent across the display, as major luminance non-uniformities can influence the image accuracy as well. Most industry standards require diagnostic monitors to be equipped with medical display calibration software that is able to measure and correct maximum and minimum luminance.
4. Calibration Software
An obligatory requirement to any diagnostic monitor is DICOM-compliance. Medical displays are delivered factory-calibrated according to DICOM GSDF, but it is mandatory to perform regular quality control checks and re-calibrations on such monitors. That is why a good choice is a monitor, equipped with built-in or bundled DICOM calibration software that will perform this function.
1. Size and Resolution
Some types of medical images are very large and have a high resolution. Viewing this kind of image - for example, a chest X-ray - on a standard-sized 2MP monitor, the diagnostician will not be able to see important details of the image, or will not be able to see the whole image. A display with a bigger diagonal size and resolution is able to reproduce larger images in detail. While a 3MP display would be enough for images like MRI or CT, mammography requires a higher resolution - at least 4 or 5MP. 6MP monitors are able to reproduce nearly any medical image and make great diagnostic displays.
2. Grayscale or Color?
In the early years of medical displays they were grayscale only, as excluding color allowed increasing the brightness of a display. However, as digital imaging technology progressed, the need for color medical displays appeared. Today both color and grayscale medical monitors are available on the market, though medical imaging standards are more specific about the gray scale reproduction capabilities of a display than they are about color.
3. Luminance
Display luminance influences the aspect of an image greatly. A low-brightness display will not be able to reproduce all the shades of gray on a medical image, and consequently the diagnostician can miss some important details that are barely discernible. It is also important that luminance be consistent across the display, as major luminance non-uniformities can influence the image accuracy as well. Most industry standards require diagnostic monitors to be equipped with medical display calibration software that is able to measure and correct maximum and minimum luminance.
4. Calibration Software
An obligatory requirement to any diagnostic monitor is DICOM-compliance. Medical displays are delivered factory-calibrated according to DICOM GSDF, but it is mandatory to perform regular quality control checks and re-calibrations on such monitors. That is why a good choice is a monitor, equipped with built-in or bundled DICOM calibration software that will perform this function.
Try PerfectLum medical display calibration and QA tool by QUBYX. The free 15-day trial is available here: http://www.perfectlum.com/downloads
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