Optimization of Medical Imaging Display Systems Using the Channelized Hotelling Observer

Medical-imaging systems are designed to aid medical specialists in a specific task. In order to satisfy the quality preferences of a human observer, the optimization of medicalimaging systems has to include measurements of human performance and has to use these results for final tuning of the physical parameters of the system. To measure human performance it is necessary to conduct the psychophysical studies and have the human medical specialist asses the quality of the system. However, these studies are very costly in terms of both time and money. In this research, we investigate numerical observer models and the benefits of using these as a supplement, or even as a substitute for human observer studies.