A report-coding system for integration into a digital radiology department.

Abstract

Report-coding systems allow the radiologist to generate a typewritten radiographic report with a computer. Typically, the report is generated by selecting bar codes, speaking key words, or selecting items on a screen. MAMM REPORT is a report-coding system for mammography, developed by radiologists, that runs on a microcomputer (Amiga, Commodore Co., West Chester, PA). MAMM REPORT speaks questions to the radiologist, who responds by pressing one of two buttons on a computer mouse, thus generating the report. MAMM REPORT allows labeling of digital images and reduction of data required to store the report in computer memory (data compression). Data compression is useful for improving computer operating speed. Digital image labeling and data compression facilitate use of MAMM REPORT on a future digital radiology workstation for an all-digital radiology department. Sixty mammographic reports, reviewed by a radiologist who is not a specialist in mammography, were entered into MAMM REPORT. The mammography specialists who dictated the original reports then judged whether the reports generated by MAMM REPORT would be acceptable replacements on the basis of descriptions of findings, diagnoses, and recommendations for further study. Data compression was measured by calculating the ratio of the number of bytes for storage of the reports in original form to a standard storage form (Huffman encoding) and to the MAMM REPORT coded form. All 60 coded reports were acceptable replacements for the original reports. For computer storage, MAMM REPORT produced a compression ratio of 135 to 1 and Huffman encoding, 1.1 to 1. Huffman encoding did not compress most reports because of their brevity. The results indicate that report coding can produce data compression of radiographic reports. The standard method of text storage, Huffman encoding, is not suitable for application to mammographic reports, which tend to be brief.