Influence of anode and filter material on image quality and glandular dose for screen-film mammography

Abstract

The influence of anode and filter materials on the performance (image quality and dose) of a mammography system is investigated. The image quality is evaluated with the image quality index method. A computer simulation has been developed to calculate the physical parameters of the image quality index (contrast, resolution and noise) as well as the mean glandular dose. The calculations take into account the successive steps of the process: x-ray production, filtration, interaction with the test object, anti-scatter grid, interaction with the image detector (screen-film system). An excellent correlation is obtained between the results predicted by the model and those of experimental measurements, suggesting that the model may be used for the prediction of the performance of mammographic equipment. The experimental conclusions are confirmed: the use of a tungsten anode with a rhodium filter allows a dose reduction without a significant degradation of image quality. The computer program can also be used to simulate the influence of factors which are difficult to combine in practice, e.g., various anode and filter materials, monoenergetic x-rays, etc.

Experimental investigation on the choice of the tungsten/rhodium anode/filter combination for an amorphous selenium-based digital mammography system

“…In film/screen mammography, the molybdenum/molybdenum (Mo/Mo) anode/filter combination has traditionally been the most commonly used, but other choices have also been introduced, especially for imaging thick breasts [4][5][6][7]. Selected beam qualities have been studied for their suitability for use in digital mammography [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”

Microcalcification detectability using a bench‐top prototype photon‐counting breast CT based on a Si strip detector

“…23 The detectability of µCa could potentially be improved if spectral information is optimally utilized in future studies, although the CNR improvement from energy weighting will depend on the detector efficiency and input spectra. 3,23…”

“…1 Early and reliable detection of breast cancer can potentially reduce the mortality rate. 2 So far, various x-ray imaging techniques have been investigated for the early detection of breast cancer including two-dimensional (2D) mammography, [3][4][5][6] which is the most common imaging technique for screening, and threedimensional (3D) methods, such as digital breast tomosynthesis 7,8 and dedicated breast cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). [9][10][11] Digital breast tomosynthesis and CBCT have been developed to solve the problem caused by overlapping anatomical structures in 2D mammography.…”

A feasibility study of projection-based energy weighting based on a photon-counting detector in contrast-enhanced digital subtraction mammography: A simulation study

“…They also showed that optimization in digital mammography usually depended on how can maximized the figure of merit (FOM). Desponds et al investigated the image quality index with respect to the anode-filter combination without dose penalty and concluded that the use of a W anode with a Rh filter was the best choice of anode-filter combination for dose reduction without degradation of image quality [14]. Ullman et al demonstrated the optimal X-ray tube voltage and anode-filter combination in digital iodine contrast media mammography to maximize the FOM by using Monte Carlo simulations [8].…”