Effective x‐ray attenuation measurements with full field digital mammography

Heine, John J.; Behera, Madhusmita

doi:10.1118/1.2356648

Cited by 28 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 50 publications

(62 reference statements)

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“…The procedure for calculating the linear attenuation coefficients µ based on experimental measurements of the investigated materials was adapted from Heine and Behera (2006) and outlined in figure 4(a). The calculation of the linear attenuation coefficient is based on the Lambert Beer's law.…”

Section: Calculation and Evaluation Of µ And δmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suitability of low density materials for 3D printing of physical breast phantoms

et al. 2018

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Breast physical phantoms are a basic tool for the assessment and verification of performance standards in daily clinical practice of x-ray breast imaging modalities. They are also invaluable in testing and evaluation of new x-ray breast modalities to be potentially established, e.g. breast computed tomography, dual-energy breast CT and phase-contrast mammography and tomography. Nowadays, there is a lack or there are only a limited number of breast physical phantoms available for this purpose.The aim of this study is to explore a range of 3D printing materials such as resins, PLA, ABS, Nylon etc, to determine their attenuation and refractive properties, and to finally compare them to the properties of the breast tissues: adipose, glandular and skin.To achieve this goal, step-wedge phantoms were computationally modeled and then manufactured using stereolithographic and fused-deposition modeling technologies. X-ray images of the phantoms were acquired, using monochromatic beam at ID17, ESRF, Grenoble for three energies-30 keV, 45 keV and 60 keV. Experimental data were further processed to obtain the linear attenuation coefficients of these materials. Comparison with theoretical data for the linear attenuation coefficients and the refractive indexes for breast tissues was performed.From the studied materials, most of the resins, Nylon, Hybrid, PET-G show absorption properties close to the glandular tissue, while ABS shows absorption characteristics close to these of the adipose tissue. For phase-contrast imaging, it turns out that the ABS combined with resin-based materials to represent the adipose and glandular tissues, respectively may be a good combination for manufacturing of a phantom suitable for these studies.These results can be used for the design and the construction of a new physical anthropomorphic phantom of the breast with improved anatomical and radiological characteristics dedicated for advanced mammography imaging techniques implemented at higher photon energies.

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Section: Calculation and Evaluation Of µ And δmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suitability of low density materials for 3D printing of physical breast phantoms

et al. 2018

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“…39 Our calibration methodology was initially developed using indirect x-ray conversion full field digital mammography (FFDM) technology. 3,4,15,17 We are currently modifying these methods for use with direct x-ray conversion FFDM. 14 In this paper, we use phantom imaging to evaluate the serial stability of three direct x-ray conversion FFDM units relative to calibration accuracy, assess methods for maintaining accuracy using the Cusum technique, and evaluate a basis for applying calibration data collected from one unit to another similar unit for generalization purposes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most appropriate method for standardization is still under investigation. Because we are using an external approach with phantom imaging, 3,4,14,15 it is necessary to establish a serial monitoring component in the calibration system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calibrated breast density methods for full field digital mammography: A system for serial quality control and inter‐system generalization

Smallwood

Sellers

et al. 2015

Medical Physics

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Purpose: The authors are developing a system for calibrated breast density measurements using full field digital mammography (FFDM). Breast tissue equivalent (BTE) phantom images are used to establish baseline (BL) calibration curves at time zero. For a given FFDM unit, the full BL dataset is comprised of approximately 160 phantom images, acquired prior to calibrating prospective patient mammograms. BL curves are monitored serially to ensure they produce accurate calibration and require updating when calibration accuracy degrades beyond an acceptable tolerance, rather than acquiring full BL datasets repeatedly. BL updating is a special case of generalizing calibration datasets across FFDM units, referred to as cross-calibration. Serial monitoring, BL updating, and cross-calibration techniques were developed and evaluated. Methods: BL curves were established for three Hologic Selenia FFDM units at time zero. In addition, one set of serial phantom images, comprised of equal proportions of adipose and fibroglandular BTE materials (50/50 compositions) of a fixed height, was acquired biweekly and monitored with the cumulative sum (Cusum) technique. These 50/50 composition images were used to update the BL curves when the calibration accuracy degraded beyond a preset tolerance of ±4 standardized units. A second set of serial images, comprised of a wide-range of BTE compositions, was acquired biweekly to evaluate serial monitoring, BL updating, and cross-calibration techniques.

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confidence: 99%

“…Any method of calibration of mammographic radiographic units which aims to measure breast composition that employs these phantom materials will therefore be contributing to a convenient standardisation of the definition of the adipose and glandular components. A number of such methods has been described, and the quantities proposed as the risk-related measure have covered a considerable range, with some form of percentage glandularity a frequent suggestion for the risk-related variable [3][4][5][6].What is being described as glandular tissue here is in fact a combination of fibroglandular and connective tissue in which the proportion of luminal epithelium, from which most cancers arise, is known to be quite small [7]. However, if the basic assumption is made that an increased relative risk of breast cancer is associated with an unusually large number of glandular cells in the individual breast, that the number of cells at significant risk of carcinogenesis will be proportional to the volume of fibroglandular and connective tissue and that the relative risk associated with the volume of adipose tissue present is negligible, then it would seem reasonable to aim at quantifying the breast composition in terms of the volume of fibroglandular and connective tissue present [8].…”

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confidence: 99%

Statistical analysis of mammographic breast composition measurements: towards a quantitative measure of relative breast cancer risk

Kotre

2011

BJR

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Objective: A number of studies have identified the relationship between the visual appearance of high breast density at mammography and an increased risk of breast cancer. With the advent of digital mammography and the promise of routine measurements of parameters associated with breast composition, the possibility arises of using breast composition in a quantitative manner to predict relative breast cancer risk. Previous measurements have shown that the average proportion of glandular and adipose tissue within the breast varies with both age and breast size. In order to be able to identify individual women with an unusually high volume of glandular tissue, it will therefore be necessary to make comparisons with a disease-free population matched for age and breast size. Methods: A large number of breast glandular thickness measurements were analysed to investigate the statistics of breast composition across a disease-free population as a test of a suitable methodology for relative risk estimation. The large data set is also used to revisit the trends in breast composition used in the current UK method of breast radiation dosimetry. Results: It is demonstrated that a non-linear transformation can be used to produce normal statistical distributions, suitable for producing a standardised ''Z-score'' for breast composition. Conclusion: A standard ''Z-score'' approach to identify women with unusually glandular breasts is recommended and so provide a basis for cancer risk estimations. It is generally accepted that a link exists between socalled ''breast density'', i.e. the proportion and pattern of bright areas in a mammographic image denoting glandular tissue, and the relative risk of breast cancer. The field has been reviewed by Harvey and Bovbjerg [1], who identified 12 studies in which quantitative methods of measuring breast density showed a moderate to strong positive association with breast cancer risk. The risk of breast cancer for women with increased breast density in most of these studies is four to six times that for women with primarily adipose breasts; a relative risk greater than most traditional risk factors such as nulliparity and early menarche. With the advent of digital mammography and the promise of replacing visual assessment of breast density with quantitative measurements of parameters associated with breast composition, the possibility arises of using breast composition to predict relative breast cancer risk. In this article, a large number of breast glandular thickness measurements are analysed to investigate the statistics of breast composition across a diseasefree population as a test of a suitable methodology for relative risk estimation.Despite the structural and functional complexity of the female breast, in terms of its mammographic appearance, and for the purposes of constructing a simple cancer risk model, it is convenient to regard the breast as being composed of two tissue components, adipose and glandular. These two components can be defined in terms of their X-ray attenuation prop...

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Effective x‐ray attenuation measurements with full field digital mammography

Cited by 28 publications

References 50 publications

Suitability of low density materials for 3D printing of physical breast phantoms

Suitability of low density materials for 3D printing of physical breast phantoms

Calibrated breast density methods for full field digital mammography: A system for serial quality control and inter‐system generalization

Statistical analysis of mammographic breast composition measurements: towards a quantitative measure of relative breast cancer risk

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