Performance measures are an important tool for assessing and comparing different medical image segmentation algorithms. Unfortunately, the current measures have their weaknesses when it comes to assessing certain edge cases. These limitations arise when images with a very small region of interest or without a region of interest at all are assessed. As a solution to these limitations, we propose a new medical image segmentation metric: MISm. This metric is a composition of the Dice similarity coefficient and the weighted specificity. MISm was investigated for definition gaps, an appropriate scoring gradient, and different weighting coefficients used to propose a constant value. Furthermore, an evaluation was performed by comparing the popular metrics in the medical image segmentation and MISm using images of magnet resonance tomography from several fictitious prediction scenarios. Our analysis shows that MISm can be applied in a general way and thus also covers the mentioned edge cases, which are not covered by other metrics, in a reasonable way. In order to allow easy access to MISm and therefore widespread application in the community, as well as reproducibility of experimental results, we included MISm in the publicly available evaluation framework MISeval.
Aim of the study: The "WAVES" study (Widening Aims and giving patients a Voice for Expanded Structures in breast cancer care developed jointly by patients and physicians) aims to illuminate current breast cancer care structures with special focus on physician-patient-communication.
Methods: The study is conducted within and funded by the BZKF (Bavarian Center for Cancer Research). Here, we present the results of the first preplanned analysis of the survey designed together with patients and patient advocates with the aim of adequately reflecting patients concerns. It is based on the evaluation of the first 1.000 patients who participated between 05/2022 and 08/2023, focusing on the duration of the first diagnosis consultation.
Results: The participants were between 23 and 89 years old (mean: 59.18 years). There was a significant association between longer initial consultation duration and higher patient satisfaction (p < 0.001). When the first consultation lasted 30 minutes or more, patients stated more frequently that they felt better informed (p < 0.001) and had fully or substantially understood the content (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: These results demonstrate a significantly higher satisfaction and better preparation of patients with initial breast cancer diagnosis if physicians’ communication lasted 30 minutes or more. Therefore the WAVES study clearly demonstrates the need for improved communication structures in terms of an appropriate time frame for breast cancer patients, which is not reflected in the current reimbursement structures.
