Functional, anatomical and diffusion tensor MRI study of radiology expertise

Abstract

Background Repeated practice to acquire expertise could result in the structural and functional changes in relevant brain circuits as a result of long-term potentiation, neurogenesis, glial genesis, and remodeling. Purpose The goal of this study is to use task fMRI to study the brain of expert radiologists performing a diagnosis task where a series of medical images were presented during fMRI acquisition for 12s and participants were asked to choose a diagnosis. Structural and diffusion-tensor MRI were also acquired. Methods Radiologists (N = 12, 11M, 38.2±10.3 years old) and non-radiologists (N = 17, 15M, 30.6 ±5.5 years old) were recruited with informed consent. Medical images were presented for 12 s and three multiple choices were displayed and the participants were asked to choose a diagnosis. fMRI, structural and diffusion-tensor MRI were acquired. fMRI analysis used FSL to determine differences in fMRI responses between groups. Voxel-wise analysis was performed to determine if subcortical volume, cortical thickness and fractional anisotropy differed between groups. Correction for multiple comparisons used false discovery rate. Results Radiologists showed overall lower task-related brain activation than non-radiologists. Radiologists showed significantly lower activation in the left lateral occipital cortex, left superior parietal lobule, occipital pole, right superior frontal and precentral gyri, lingual gyrus, and the left intraparietal sulcus (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between groups in cortical thickness, subcortical volume and fractional anisotropy (p>0.05).

Real-World Visual Experience Alters Baseline Brain Activity in the Resting State: A Longitudinal Study Using Expertise Model of Radiologists

“… Reilhac et al (2013) reported deactivation in the right superior parietal lobules, which was closely related to visual attention in radiologists. Ouellette et al (2020) also found deactivation in the left SPL in radiologists, which was attributed to more efficient control of visual attention supported by accelerated eye-tracking data. We propose that decreased ALFF in SPL also reflects a similar trend.…”

Visual expertise modulates resting-state brain network dynamics in radiologists: a degree centrality analysis

“…Kesler et al ( 2011 ) found significantly increased activation of the SFG in visual tasks, which participated in online monitoring and manipulation of task-related information. Ouellette et al found lower activation of the lateral SFG in trained radiologists while they viewed medical images, suggesting that WM is a crucial component of radiology expertise and more efficient in radiologists (Ouellette et al, 2020 ). In our current study, different trends in the bilateral SFG showed that the increased DC values in the left SFG and decreased DC values in the right SFG were closely associated with WM when utilizing radiological expertise.…”

Visual expertise modulates baseline brain activity: a preliminary resting-state fMRI study using expertise model of radiologists

“…This perceptual specialty is acquired through intensive training during which hundreds of cases are reviewed [ 3 , 6 ]. Recently, a few studies investigated the functional anatomy of visual expertise under tasks using the expertise model of radiologists [ 10 – 12 , 18 ]. Haller et al [ 11 ] and Ouellette et al [ 18 ] observed activation in the ventral visual pathway, including the right fusiform gyrus (FG), and higher-order brain regions, such as the left inferior frontal gyrus in radiologists in differentiating X-ray films than novices.…”

“…Recently, a few studies investigated the functional anatomy of visual expertise under tasks using the expertise model of radiologists [ 10 – 12 , 18 ]. Haller et al [ 11 ] and Ouellette et al [ 18 ] observed activation in the ventral visual pathway, including the right fusiform gyrus (FG), and higher-order brain regions, such as the left inferior frontal gyrus in radiologists in differentiating X-ray films than novices. Harley et al specifically investigated the visual pathway and reported engagement of FG when radiologists detected abnormalities in chest radiographs [ 10 ].…”