User-interface and operators: Evolution in the perception of computed tomography (CT)

Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) is the most used clinical examination to produce cross-sectional images of the body. The main objective of the study reported here is to analyze the CT operators’ perceptions in relation to the evolution of the technology they use, with a specific focus on the usability of the user interface. The study is based on the consideration that the performance of the whole man–machine system is strictly dependent on the perception/experience that the operator has of the machine. To this aim, current opinions expressed by 6 operators have been compared to those collected in a study conducted in 2011. Results reveal a high level of satisfaction with the technology in use, but the hope for a even better operability in the future, which was expressed in 2011, seems to be no longer valid today.