On the reporting of mass contrast in CAD research.

As research efforts for developing computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) schemes of digitized mammograms increase and interscheme results are compared, the desire to establish an acceptable consistent reporting protocol of the distribution of abnormal characteristic is becoming an issue. "Mass contrast" is very important and frequently reported in current CAD studies. In this report, 100 verified mass regions were analyzed systemically using 6 different definitions of "mass contrast." Measured variability in mass contrast was demonstrated by the distribution shift in this group masses. The need for universally accepted and largely standardized descriptors of objects of interest is clearly demonstrated.