The PhD defense will take place

Friday Oct 21st, 2022 at 13.00 in the auditorium at Medicinerhuset, Aalborg University Hospital.

After the defense there will be held a reception. All are welcome.

Supervisors

Prof. Asbjørn Mohr Drewes, MD, PhD, DMSc (PhD supervisor)
Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg University, Denmark

Prof. Jens Brøndum Frøkjær, MD, PhD (assistant PhD supervisor)
Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg University, Denmark

Post. Doc. Heidi Søgaard Christensen, MS, PhD (assistant PhD supervisor)
Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg University, Denmark

Assessment Committee

Prof. Helle Damgaard Zacho, MD, PhD, DMSc (chair)
Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg University, Denmark

Prof. Søren Rafael Rafaelsen, MD, DMSc
Lillebaelt Hospital, University of Southern Denmark

Dr John D. Thompson, BSc, MSc, PhD
University of Salford, England

About the PhD thesis

In imaging research and development, it is well-recognized that the assessment of observer performance has a vital role in advancing radiology practice, technique, training, and quality control. However, the execution of such studies is logistically challenging, encompassing a sufficient scale and scope of included observers situated at various locations. The overall aim of this Ph.D. thesis was to develop and apply a web-based platform for the facilitation of imaging observer performance studies. A particular focus was to evaluate the measurement agreement of uni-dimensional continuous variables in ultrasound and computed tomography. The thesis encompasses one method study in which the development of a web-based imaging viewer for visualization of volumetric datasets is detailed. Subsequently, this imaging viewer was applied to execute two of three application studies These application studies were completed, involving the assessment of abdominal aortic diameter in terms of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms as well as ductal- and gland diameters in chronic pancreatitis patients. The usability of the developed platform and imaging viewer, as well as rendering and download speed, was evaluated. Overall, the web-based platform proved helpful in facilitating multi-observer imaging performance studies in accordance with recommendations stipulated in the radiological research literature.