Assessing task performance in FFDM, DBT, and synthetic mammography using uniform and anthropomorphic physical phantoms

Ikejimba, Lynda C.; Glick, Stephen J.; Choudhury, Kingshuk Roy; Samei, Ehsan; Lo, Joseph Y.

doi:10.1118/1.4962475

Cited by 28 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…In addition, just like in a real mammogram, the calcification‐like signal in our phantom might be masked by a dense fibro glandular‐like area. This is in agreement with the study by Ikejimba et al, where signal contrast was found to be dependent on whether the signal was placed in a region of fibroglandular or adipose tissue of their structured phantom …”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…This is in agreement with the study by Ikejimba et al, where signal contrast was found to be dependent on whether the signal was placed in a region of fibroglandular or adipose tissue of their structured phantom. 27 The strength of this study is the use of a physical anthropomorphic breast phantom that is realistic in terms of structure, and the use of real acquired images with embedded calcification-like discs to assess the quality of image processing. Although limited to calcification detection, a considerable number of parameters were studied, dose, calcificationlike signal size, imaging systems, 'for processing', and 'for presentation' DM images were used.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A model observer study using acquired mammographic images of an anthropomorphic breast phantom

et al. 2017

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A model observer study using acquired mammographic images of an anthropomorphic breast phantom

et al. 2017

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“…Although trends were found to be similar, the absolute values of threshold contrasts in homogeneous backgrounds were lower than in structured backgrounds. This finding is in agreement with the study of Ikejimba et al . who evaluated human observer performance in uniform and anthropomorphic backgrounds for several breast imaging modalities and concluded that it is important to use realistic phantoms when assessing the clinical relevance of breast imaging systems.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…42,43 Although trends were found to be similar, the absolute values of threshold contrasts in homogeneous backgrounds were lower than in structured backgrounds. This finding is in agreement with the study of Ikejimba et al 44 who evaluated human observer performance in uniform and anthropomorphic backgrounds for several breast imaging modalities and concluded that it is important to use realistic phantoms when assessing the clinical relevance of breast imaging systems. When evaluating the whole imaging chain including image processing or when comparing to the use of other X-ray breast imaging systems, it is, therefore, important to switch toward using realistic anthropomorphic phantoms.…”

Section: Ain1supporting

confidence: 92%

Toward image quality assessment in mammography using model observers: Detection of a calcification‐like object

et al. 2017

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Purpose: Model observers (MOs) are of interest in the field of medical imaging to assess image quality. However, before procedures using MOs can be proposed in quality control guidelines for mammography systems, we need to know whether MOs are sensitive to changes in image quality and correlations in background structure. Therefore, as a proof of principle, in this study human and model observer (MO) performance are compared for the detection of calcification-like objects using different background structures and image quality levels of unprocessed mammography images. Method: Three different phantoms, homogeneous polymethyl methacrylate, BR3D slabs with swirled patterns (CIRS, Norfolk, VA, USA), and a prototype anthropomorphic breast phantom (Institute of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen, Germany) were imaged on an Amulet Innovality (FujiFilm, Tokyo, Japan) mammographic X-ray unit. Because the complexities of the structures of these three phantoms were different and not optimized to match the characteristics of real mammographic images, image processing was not applied in this study. In addition, real mammograms were acquired on the same system. Regions of interest (ROIs) were extracted from each image. In half of the ROIs, a 0.25-mm diameter disk was inserted at four different contrast levels to represent a calcification-like object. Each ROI was then modified, so four image qualities relevant for mammography were simulated. The signal-present and signal-absent ROIs were evaluated by a non-pre-whitening model observer with eye filter (NPWE) and a channelized Hotelling observer (CHO) using dense difference of Gaussian channels. The ROIs were also evaluated by human observers in a two alternative forced choice experiment. Detectability results for the human and model observer experiments were correlated using a mixed-effect regression model. Threshold disk contrasts for human and predicted human observer performance based on the NPWE MO and CHO were estimated. Results: Global trends in threshold contrast were similar for the different background structures, but absolute contrast threshold levels differed. Contrast thresholds tended to be lower in ROIs from simple phantoms compared with ROIs from real mammographic images. The correlation between human and model observer performance was not affected by the range of image quality levels studied. Conclusions: The correlation between human and model observer performance does not depend on image quality. This is a promising outcome for the use of model observers in image quality analysis and allows for subsequent research toward the development of MO-based quality control procedures and guidelines.

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“…The CIRS BR three‐dimensional (3D) phantom (CIRS Inc., Norfolk, VA) is a physical phantom that is not based on patient anatomy, but instead mirrors the power law spectrum properties of the breast. In addition, some virtual phantoms were successfully realized and used in scientific studies, such as the UPENN and Duke physical phantoms. A number of researchers have demonstrated how task‐performance‐based image quality can be assessed using physical phantoms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A four‐alternative forced choice (4AFC) methodology for evaluating microcalcification detection in clinical full‐field digital mammography (FFDM) and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) systems using an inkjet‐printed anthropomorphic phantom

et al. 2019

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Purpose The advent of three‐dimensional breast imaging systems such as digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) has great promise for improving the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. With these new technologies comes an essential need for testing methods to assess the resultant image quality. Although randomized clinical trials are the gold standard for assessing image quality, phantom‐based studies can provide a simpler and less burdensome approach. In this work, a complete framework is presented for task‐based evaluation of microcalcification (MCs) detection performance for DBT imaging systems. Methods The framework consists of three parts. The first part is a realistic anthropomorphic physical breast phantom created through inkjet printing, with parchment paper and iodine‐doped ink. The second is a method for inserting realistic MCs fabricated from calcium hydroxyapatite. The reproducibility and stability of the phantom materials were investigated through multiple samples of parchment and ink over 6 months. The final part is an analysis using a four‐alternative forced choice (4AFC) reader study. To demonstrate the framework, a task‐based 4AFC study was conducted using a clinical system to compare performance from DBT, synthetic mammography (SM), and full‐field digital mammography (FFDM). Nine human observers read images containing MC clusters imaged with all three modalities and tried to correctly locate the MCs. The proportion correct (PC) was measured as the number of correctly detected clusters out of all trials. Results Overall, readers scored the highest with FFDM, (PC = 0.95 ± 0.03) then DBT (0.85 ± 0.04), and finally SM (0.44 ± 0.06). For the parchment and ink samples, the linear attenuation properties were very stable over 6 months. In addition, little difference was found between the various parchment and ink samples, indicating good reproducibility. Conclusions This framework presents a promising methodology for evaluating diagnostic task performance of clinical breast DBT systems.

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Assessing task performance in FFDM, DBT, and synthetic mammography using uniform and anthropomorphic physical phantoms

Cited by 28 publications

References 32 publications

A model observer study using acquired mammographic images of an anthropomorphic breast phantom

A model observer study using acquired mammographic images of an anthropomorphic breast phantom

Toward image quality assessment in mammography using model observers: Detection of a calcification‐like object

A four‐alternative forced choice (4AFC) methodology for evaluating microcalcification detection in clinical full‐field digital mammography (FFDM) and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) systems using an inkjet‐printed anthropomorphic phantom

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