A Computer-assisted Chest Radiograph Reader will be developed to perform a full set of diagnostics based on the International Labor Organization (ILO) standardized methodology for classifying and grading chest radiographs of persons at risk for lung pathologies. The Computer- assisted Chest Radiograph Reader will be used in epidemiological research requiring interpretation of large numbers of radiographs and collection of data for quantitative analysis, in screening and the surveillance of workers exposed to agents that may cause pneumoconioses, and in increasing the automation of the ILO methodology for grading and interpreting chest film for medical compensation purposes. The research is applying advanced image processing and neural network technology to classify the radiographs. It is anticipated that such a system could lead to reduced health care cost through early detection during screening programs, and to enhanced research studies by providing quantitative measures of a disease's progression. The Computer-assisted Chest Radiograph Reader is an innovation in the integration of neural network technology, high performance, low-cost personal computers, state-of-the- art Windows(TM) interfaces, and quantitative radiograph characterization based on advanced image processing.
High performance, low cost computers have made image processing and computer-assisted medical diagnosis affordable. Driven by telemedicine needs, digitization of images results in an increased market for advanced, state-of-the-art image processing and diagnostic tools. There is a significant commercial market for an affordable """"""""Chest Radiograph Reader"""""""".
