Normalized glandular dose coefficients in mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis and dedicated breast CT

Abstract

To provide mean glandular dose (MGD) estimates via Monte Carlo (MC) simulations as a function of the breast models and scan parameters in mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and dedicated breast CT (BCT). Methods: The MC code was based on GEANT4 toolkit. The simulated compressed breast was either a cylinder with a semi-circular section or ad hoc shaped for oblique view (MLO). In DBT we studied the influence of breast models and exam parameters on the T-factors (i.e. the conversion factor for the calculation of the MGD in DBT from that for a 0-degree projection), and in BCT we investigated the influence on the MGD estimates of the ion chamber volume used for the air kerma measurements. Results: In mammography, a model representative of a breast undergoing an MLO view exam did not produce substantial differences (0.4%) in MGD estimates, when compared to a conventional cranio-caudal (CC) view breast model. The beam half value layer did not present a significant influence on T-factors in DBT (< 0.8%), while the skin model presented significant influence on MGD estimates (up to 3.3% at 30 degrees scan angle), increasing for larger scan angles. We derived a correction factor for taking into account the different ion chamber volume used in MGD estimates in BCT. Conclusions: A series of MC code modules for MGD estimates in 2D and 3D breast imaging have been developed in order to take into account the most recent advances in breast models.

The influence of breast skin thickness variation with aging on the mammographic X-ray spectra: A Monte Carlo study

“…They reported the mean breast skin thickness as 1.45±0.30 mm. Although they did not quantify the thickness variation with age, the reported mean thickness was in accordance with ref, (2) and contrary with some previously published works (4)(5)(6) that performed their study based on the assumption of a 4-mm breast skin thickness. It is interesting to know that the mammography images obtained by X-ray techniques are further processed by using various optical techniques like the ones presented in (7,8) .…”

Patient‐derived heterogeneous breast phantoms for advanced dosimetry in mammography and tomosynthesis

“…[20][21]24 Furthermore, previous efforts for the development of dosimetry models for mammography and DBT mostly considered only the cranio-caudal (CC) projection, thus not accounting for possible differences in absorbed dose due to, for example, the presence of the pectoralis muscle in the medio-lateral-oblique (MLO) field of view. In the few studies where the pectoral muscle was accounted for, 9,25 it was simply modeled based on subjective opinion of a single expert reader.…”

Mamografia Digital: estudos dosimétricos e de qualidade da imagem por simulação Monte Carlo

“…O kerma no ar foi obtido a partir da fluência de fótons que atravessavam um plano quadrado (desconsiderando o retroespalhamento da mama) de área 4 cm 2 a 4 cm do corpo do paciente, seguindo a Equação 4 9,27 .…”