Hardcopy quality parameters to ensure structures detection at digital mammography

Abstract

Objective To develop procedures to ensure consistency of printing quality of digital images, by means of hardcopy quantitative analysis based on a standard image. Materials and Methods Characteristics of mammography DI-ML and general purpose DI-HL films were studied through the QC-Test utilizing different processing techniques in a FujiFilm®-DryPix4000 printer. A software was developed for sensitometric evaluation, generating a digital image including a gray scale and a bar pattern to evaluate contrast and spatial resolution. Results Mammography films showed maximum optical density of 4.11 and general purpose films, 3.22. The digital image was developed with a 33-step wedge scale and a high-contrast bar pattern (1 to 30 lp/cm) for spatial resolution evaluation. Conclusion Mammographic films presented higher values for maximum optical density and contrast resolution as compared with general purpose films. The utilized digital processing technique could only change the image pixels matrix values and did not affect the printing standard. The proposed digital image standard allows greater control of the relationship between pixels values and optical density obtained in the analysis of films quality and printing systems.

AQMI: Software for assessing the quality of mammographic images

“…Digital radiology, already a reality in Brazil, enables new possibilities with regard to acquiring and processing images in diagnostic imaging [13]. The communication and storage of images created by all the equipment in the medical field are standardized in a single format that is structured in protocols: the DICOM (Digital Imaging Communications in Medicine) file [14].…”