Visibility of single spiculations in digital breast tomosynthesis

Pontus Timberg; Magnus Dustler; Daniel Förnvik; Sophia Zackrisson

doi:10.1117/12.2005853

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28 March 2013 Visibility of single spiculations in digital breast tomosynthesis

Pontus Timberg, Magnus Dustler, Daniel Förnvik, Sophia Zackrisson

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Proceedings Volume 8673, Medical Imaging 2013: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment; 86731B (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2005853
Event: SPIE Medical Imaging, 2013, Lake Buena Vista (Orlando Area), Florida, United States

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the visibility of single spiculations in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). Method: Simulated spheres (6 mm diameter) with single spiculations were added to projection images acquired on a DBT system (MAMMOMAT Inspiration, Siemens). The spiculations had a cylindrical shape and were randomly, diagonally aligned (at four different positions: ± π/4 or ± 3π/4) at a plane parallel to the detector. They were assumed to consist of a fibroglandular tissue composition. The length of the spiculations was 5 mm while the diameter varied (0.12 – 0.28 mm). Reconstructed central slices of the lesion, separated by insertion in fatty or dense breasts (100 images in each), were used in 4-alternative forced choice (4AFC) human observer experiments. Three different reconstructions were used: filtered back projection (FBP) with 1 mm thick slices and a statistical artifact reduction reconstruction (SAR) method generating 1 and 2 mm thick slices. Five readers participated and their task was to locate the spiculation in randomly presented images from the whole image set (4 diameters × 100 images). The percent correct (PC) decision was determined in both fat and dense tissue for all spiculation diameters and reconstructions. Results: At a PC level of 95% the required diameter was about 0.17 – 0.22 mm in dense tissue, and 0.18 – 0.26 mm in fatty tissue (depending upon reconstruction). Conclusions: SAR was found to be a promising alternative to FBP. The visibility of single spiculations was determined. The required diameter depends on both tissue composition and reconstruction.

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Pontus Timberg, Magnus Dustler, Daniel Förnvik, and Sophia Zackrisson "Visibility of single spiculations in digital breast tomosynthesis", Proc. SPIE 8673, Medical Imaging 2013: Image Perception, Observer Performance, and Technology Assessment, 86731B (28 March 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2005853

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