| Title |
Distraction in diagnostic radiology: How is search through volumetric medical images affected by interruptions?
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, February 2017
|
| DOI | 10.1186/s41235-017-0050-y |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Lauren H. Williams, Trafton Drew |
| Abstract |
Observational studies have shown that interruptions are a frequent occurrence in diagnostic radiology. The present study used an experimental design in order to quantify the cost of these interruptions during search through volumetric medical images. Participants searched through chest CT scans for nodules that are indicative of lung cancer. In half of the cases, search was interrupted by a series of true or false math equations. The primary cost of these interruptions was an increase in search time with no corresponding increase in accuracy or lung coverage. This time cost was not modulated by the difficulty of the interruption task or an individual's working memory capacity. Eye-tracking suggests that this time cost was driven by impaired memory for which regions of the lung were searched prior to the interruption. Potential interventions will be discussed in the context of these results. |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 58 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 58 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | 9 | 16% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 8 | 14% |
| Other | 5 | 9% |
| Student > Bachelor | 3 | 5% |
| Student > Master | 3 | 5% |
| Other | 6 | 10% |
| Unknown | 24 | 41% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 9 | 16% |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 8 | 14% |
| Engineering | 3 | 5% |
| Computer Science | 3 | 5% |
| Nursing and Health Professions | 2 | 3% |
| Other | 6 | 10% |
| Unknown | 27 | 47% |