Optimal acquisition techniques for digital breast tomosynthesis screening

Tao Wu; Bob Liu; Richard Moore; Daniel Kopans

doi:10.1117/12.652289

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2 March 2006 Optimal acquisition techniques for digital breast tomosynthesis screening

Tao Wu, Bob Liu, Richard Moore, Daniel Kopans

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Proceedings Volume 6142, Medical Imaging 2006: Physics of Medical Imaging; 61425E (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.652289
Event: Medical Imaging, 2006, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

A second-generation digital breast tomosynthesis system is used for a screening study comparing tomosynthesis with conventional two-view mammography with matched x-ray dose. The system acquires 15 projections of a breast at different angles using a digital detector. This work explores acquisition techniques that optimize the quality of projection images at low x-ray exposure. The system provides three target-filter combinations (Mo-Mo, Mo-Rh and Rh-Rh) and the recommended tube voltage range is from 25 to 40kVp. A thin disk was put on top of slabs of breast tissue equivalent materials (20 to 85mm). Contrast-to-noise ratio of the disk was measured from projections acquired with different kVp and target-filter combinations. The squared CNR normalized by average glandular dose was used to compare the quality/dose efficiency of different techniques. The optimal quality/dose efficiency was achieved as the detector entrance exposure was in the range of 5-30mR. Within this range, Mo-Mo gives the highest quality for 20mm; results are very close for 30mm; Rh-Rh is slightly better for 45mm and apparently better than others for 65 and 85mm. However, sufficient detector entrance exposure cannot be guaranteed for all cases due to the total dose limit and the system limit. For some cases, the detector is operated slightly off its optimal performance range. The kVp does not show an impact except for 85 mm, in which the quality/dose efficiency slightly increases at higher kVp. Rh-Rh is selected for > 40mm thickness; Mo-Mo is selected for 20mm thickness; and Mo-Rh is selected for 30 and 40mm.

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Tao Wu, Bob Liu, Richard Moore, and Daniel Kopans "Optimal acquisition techniques for digital breast tomosynthesis screening", Proc. SPIE 6142, Medical Imaging 2006: Physics of Medical Imaging, 61425E (2 March 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.652289

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