Uncertainties in estimates of lesion detectability in diagnostic ultrasound

Statistical properties of estimates of focal lesion detectability for medic al ultrasonic imaging systems are investigated. Analytic forms for bias and variance of estimates of detectability of a lesion consisting of fully dev eloped speckle embedded within a speckle background are derived. Bias and v ariance of estimates of detectability are investigated using a computer sim ulation and experiments on tissue-mimicking phantoms. This work offers a sy stematic methodology for interpreting measurements on phantoms in order to assess lesion detectability. In addition, it provides useful results which may be used to improve design of phantoms and experiments for imaging-syste m performance assessment. (C) 1999 Acoustical Sociery ofAmerica. [S0001-496 6(99)01208-4].