Abstract— A modulation‐transfer‐function (MTF) measurement method that uses a bar‐pattern image for medical displays such as liquid‐crystal displays (LCDs) and cathode‐ray tubes (CRTs) has been investigated. A specific bar‐pattern image on the display was acquired with a high‐resolution single‐lens reflex‐type digital camera equipped with a close‐up lens. The MTF was calculated from the amplitudes of the fundamental‐frequency components, which were extracted from the profile data across the bar patterns by using Fourier analysis. Actual comparisons with the conventional line technique were performed for a medical CRT. The adequate accuracy and excellent reproducibility of the method were confirmed. Furthermore, unlike the line method, an advantageous feature which can use an input signal with sufficient amplitude was theoretically proved. Horizontal and vertical MTFs at the central position of the display area were measured up to the Nyquist frequency for several medical displays. From these measurements, this method has the capability to detect slight differences between the displays measured. This proposed method is useful in understanding and quantifying the medical display's performance due to excellent reproducibility and accuracy.