Crowdsourcing as a screening tool to detect clinical features of glaucomatous optic neuropathy from digital photography.

<h4>Aim</h4>Crowdsourcing is the process of simplifying and outsourcing numerous tasks to many untrained individuals. Our aim was to assess the performance and repeatability of crowdsourcing in the classification of normal and glaucomatous discs from optic disc images.<h4>Methods&l...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Danny Mitry, Tunde Peto, Shabina Hayat, Peter Blows, James Morgan, Kay-Tee Khaw, Paul J Foster
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0117401
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849332308387037184
author Danny Mitry
Tunde Peto
Shabina Hayat
Peter Blows
James Morgan
Kay-Tee Khaw
Paul J Foster
author_facet Danny Mitry
Tunde Peto
Shabina Hayat
Peter Blows
James Morgan
Kay-Tee Khaw
Paul J Foster
author_sort Danny Mitry
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Aim</h4>Crowdsourcing is the process of simplifying and outsourcing numerous tasks to many untrained individuals. Our aim was to assess the performance and repeatability of crowdsourcing in the classification of normal and glaucomatous discs from optic disc images.<h4>Methods</h4>Optic disc images (N = 127) with pre-determined disease status were selected by consensus agreement from grading experts from a large cohort study. After reading brief illustrative instructions, we requested that knowledge workers (KWs) from a crowdsourcing platform (Amazon MTurk) classified each image as normal or abnormal. Each image was classified 20 times by different KWs. Two study designs were examined to assess the effect of varying KW experience and both study designs were conducted twice for consistency. Performance was assessed by comparing the sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).<h4>Results</h4>Overall, 2,540 classifications were received in under 24 hours at minimal cost. The sensitivity ranged between 83-88% across both trials and study designs, however the specificity was poor, ranging between 35-43%. In trial 1, the highest AUC (95%CI) was 0.64(0.62-0.66) and in trial 2 it was 0.63(0.61-0.65). There were no significant differences between study design or trials conducted.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Crowdsourcing represents a cost-effective method of image analysis which demonstrates good repeatability and a high sensitivity. Optimisation of variables such as reward schemes, mode of image presentation, expanded response options and incorporation of training modules should be examined to determine their effect on the accuracy and reliability of this technique in retinal image analysis.
format Article
id doaj-art-6ed13e12aa874961be2e37d4dfebf36c
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2015-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-6ed13e12aa874961be2e37d4dfebf36c2025-08-20T03:46:13ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01102e011740110.1371/journal.pone.0117401Crowdsourcing as a screening tool to detect clinical features of glaucomatous optic neuropathy from digital photography.Danny MitryTunde PetoShabina HayatPeter BlowsJames MorganKay-Tee KhawPaul J Foster<h4>Aim</h4>Crowdsourcing is the process of simplifying and outsourcing numerous tasks to many untrained individuals. Our aim was to assess the performance and repeatability of crowdsourcing in the classification of normal and glaucomatous discs from optic disc images.<h4>Methods</h4>Optic disc images (N = 127) with pre-determined disease status were selected by consensus agreement from grading experts from a large cohort study. After reading brief illustrative instructions, we requested that knowledge workers (KWs) from a crowdsourcing platform (Amazon MTurk) classified each image as normal or abnormal. Each image was classified 20 times by different KWs. Two study designs were examined to assess the effect of varying KW experience and both study designs were conducted twice for consistency. Performance was assessed by comparing the sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).<h4>Results</h4>Overall, 2,540 classifications were received in under 24 hours at minimal cost. The sensitivity ranged between 83-88% across both trials and study designs, however the specificity was poor, ranging between 35-43%. In trial 1, the highest AUC (95%CI) was 0.64(0.62-0.66) and in trial 2 it was 0.63(0.61-0.65). There were no significant differences between study design or trials conducted.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Crowdsourcing represents a cost-effective method of image analysis which demonstrates good repeatability and a high sensitivity. Optimisation of variables such as reward schemes, mode of image presentation, expanded response options and incorporation of training modules should be examined to determine their effect on the accuracy and reliability of this technique in retinal image analysis.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0117401
spellingShingle Danny Mitry
Tunde Peto
Shabina Hayat
Peter Blows
James Morgan
Kay-Tee Khaw
Paul J Foster
Crowdsourcing as a screening tool to detect clinical features of glaucomatous optic neuropathy from digital photography.
PLoS ONE
title Crowdsourcing as a screening tool to detect clinical features of glaucomatous optic neuropathy from digital photography.
title_full Crowdsourcing as a screening tool to detect clinical features of glaucomatous optic neuropathy from digital photography.
title_fullStr Crowdsourcing as a screening tool to detect clinical features of glaucomatous optic neuropathy from digital photography.
title_full_unstemmed Crowdsourcing as a screening tool to detect clinical features of glaucomatous optic neuropathy from digital photography.
title_short Crowdsourcing as a screening tool to detect clinical features of glaucomatous optic neuropathy from digital photography.
title_sort crowdsourcing as a screening tool to detect clinical features of glaucomatous optic neuropathy from digital photography
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0117401
work_keys_str_mv AT dannymitry crowdsourcingasascreeningtooltodetectclinicalfeaturesofglaucomatousopticneuropathyfromdigitalphotography
AT tundepeto crowdsourcingasascreeningtooltodetectclinicalfeaturesofglaucomatousopticneuropathyfromdigitalphotography
AT shabinahayat crowdsourcingasascreeningtooltodetectclinicalfeaturesofglaucomatousopticneuropathyfromdigitalphotography
AT peterblows crowdsourcingasascreeningtooltodetectclinicalfeaturesofglaucomatousopticneuropathyfromdigitalphotography
AT jamesmorgan crowdsourcingasascreeningtooltodetectclinicalfeaturesofglaucomatousopticneuropathyfromdigitalphotography
AT kayteekhaw crowdsourcingasascreeningtooltodetectclinicalfeaturesofglaucomatousopticneuropathyfromdigitalphotography
AT pauljfoster crowdsourcingasascreeningtooltodetectclinicalfeaturesofglaucomatousopticneuropathyfromdigitalphotography