Medical radiographs based on familiar projection techniques are planar imag
es traditionally displayed by placing on a flat surface viewbox. Presenting
these planar images in digital form on a traditional monitor with a curved
surface may cause distortions, possibly affecting diagnoses. This would be
true especially if physical linear dimensions of the anatomy are important
. Reflections from ambient lights behind the observer also could be a probl
em with curved displays. The goal of this study was to compare physical and
psychophysical performance of a flat-surface display monitor with a tradit
ional curved-surface monitor. Two display monitors with different types of
front glass-panel surfaces were evaluated. The first monitor had a traditio
nal curved surface, and the other had a flat surface. Physical measurements
included dynamic range, display function, veiling glare, and spatial unifo
rmity. An observer performance study used low-contrast, square-wave pattern
s to determine just-noticeable differences. Ambient lights were turned off
in one condition and on in the other. Physical measurements showed that the
display functions were nearly identical, but uniformity, veiling glare, an
d signal-to-noise-ratio were better for the curved monitor. Observer perfor
mance was better overall with the curved monitor, but the degradation in pe
rformance between lights off and lights on was greater for the curved than
flat monitor. The greater degradation with the lights on could be attribute
d to more reflections off the curved than the flat monitor. A flat-surface
display monitor may be useful for viewing clinical radiographs. Copyright (
C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.