Untutored discrimination training on paired cell images influences visual learning in cytopathology

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cytologists must learn how to discriminate cells that might be visually very similar but have different neoplastic potential. The mechanism by which trainees learn this task is poorly researched and is the focus of the current investigation. Cognitive science offers a theoretical platform from which to design meaningful experiments that could lead to novel training strategies. METHODS: The interpretation of a cell image is a category-discrimination task, and the process by which discrimination improves with practice is called perceptual learning. The study authors operationalized this concept by training 150 naive observers on paired cell images without providing explicit tuition, employing cervical cytology as a model system. Six strategies were tested, which differed according to the diagnostic category and level of interpretive difficulty of each image. Participants were tested before and after training to determine the extent to which visual learning had occurred. RESULTS: Diagnostic accuracy improved for participants who were trained on normal/ abnormal image pairs in which at least one member of the pair was "easy" to interpret (P <.05). Training was not effective when image pairs were drawn from the same diagnostic category or when both members of the pair were "difficult" to interpret (P >.05). CONCLUSIONS: Training on paired cell images without explicit tuition can be an efficient and effective means of visual learning in cytopathology, but only if care is taken to avoid image pairs from category boundaries. Training on same-category image pairs is ineffective. This study is a step toward the development of perceptual learning modules for cytopathology.

How should ‘new age’ cytologists be trained?

“…Precise control over the focus of the learner's visual attention is quite difficult in light microscopy, so a useful alternative is a virtual (digital) microscopy. This is exactly the approach I have taken in my research, with very promising results . Briefly, my research shows that cytologically naive observers can acquire cell interpretation skills quickly, implicitly (i.e.…”

Visual distraction in cytopathology: should we be concerned?

“…The cell images were given the labels ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’, but explicit tuition in the form of diagnostic feature lists was not provided. The effectiveness of this training strategy has been demonstrated in our previous studies . Participants examined another 20 non‐annotated image pairs for practice.…”

Are sound abatement measures necessary in the cytology reading room? A study of auditory distraction

“…The visual stimuli employed for training, practice and testing were identical to those used in our previous studies . Briefly, a large selection of digital images of single epithelial cells were acquired from cervical cytology samples at ×400 magnification, using a Colourview II digital camera (Soft Imaging System Ltd, Helperby, North Yorkshire, UK) mounted on an Olympus BX51 microscope (Olympus, Tokyo, Japan).…”

“…Cell interpretation training, practice and testing followed the same protocol as described previously . Briefly, all participants received initial cell interpretation training by examining 20 pairs of images on a computer screen.…”