Task-based model/human observer evaluation of SPIHT wavelet compression with human visual system-based quantization1

Use of the HVS quantization scheme in the SPIHT wavelet compression led to improved model and human observer performance in clinically relevant detection tasks in x-ray coronary angiograms. Model observer performance can be reliably used to predict the human observer performance for the studied tasks as a function of SPIHT wavelet image compression. Our results further confirmed that model observer performance in the computationally more tractable SKEV task can be potentially used as a figure of merit for the more clinically realistic SKS task with real anatomic backgrounds.