selection and presentation of imaging figures in the medical literature选择和医学文献的成像数据.pdfVIP

Selection and Presentation of Imaging Figures in the Medical Literature 1 1¤ 2 1,3,4,5 George C. M. Siontis , Nikolaos A. Patsopoulos , Antonios P. Vlahos , John P. A. Ioannidis * 1 Clinical Trials and Evidence-Based Medicine Unit, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece, 2 Department of Pediatrics, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece, 3 Biomedical Research Institute, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Ioannina, Greece, 4 Department of Medicine, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, 5 Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America Abstract Background: Images are important for conveying information, but there is no empirical evidence on whether imaging figures are properly selected and presented in the published medical literature. We therefore evaluated the selection and presentation of radiological imaging figures in major medical journals. Methodology/Principal Findings: We analyzed articles published in 2005 in 12 major general and specialty medical journals that had radiological imaging figures. For each figure, we recorded information on selection, study population, provision of quantitative measurements, color scales and contrast use. Overall, 417 images from 212 articles were analyzed. Any comment/hint on image selection was made in 44 (11%) images (range 0–50% across the 12 journals) and another 37 (9%) (range 0–60%) showed both a normal and abnormal appearance. In 108 images (26%) (r