Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve Confidence Intervals and Regions

Many researchers have presented results showing the empirical performance of target detection algorithms using hyperspectral or synthetic aperture radar imagery. In nearly all cases, these probabilities of detection and false alarm are presented as precise values as opposed to their true nature as estimates of random values. In this letter, we provide analytical tools and examples of computing confidence intervals and regions around these estimates commonly presented as points on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. It is suggested that these tools be adopted by researchers when presenting their results to provide their audience with a quantitative metric for proper interpretation of empirically estimated ROC curves.