DIGITAL BREAST SPECIMEN RADIOGRAPHY FOR IMPROVED BIOPSY

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The aim of this proposal is to develop a compact, filmless, electronic x- ray imaging system for high resolution breast specimen radiography. This device is intended for use in the operating room for rapid radiography of excisional breast specimens, and in radiology for needle core biopsy procedures. This approach will enable the surgeon and radiologist to view the image on a computer monitor simultaneously during telephone consultation. It is anticipated that this method will save extremely valuable operating room time and will virtually eliminate the need for the surgeon to make a decision without the immediate availability of a specimen radiograph. The proposed research will investigate the use of a CCD with 1024x1024 pixel resolution, which will detect the light emission from a fine detail x-ray intensifying screen in response to an x-ray beam directed from a micro focus x-ray source. One configuration will be a lens-coupled approach, where the x-ray intensifying screen is optically coupled to a CCD using fast lenses, the other configuration will use fiber optic coupling between the intensifying screen and the CCD. The system will be designed to provide superior image quality as compared to conventional film-based specimen radiography systems. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: 8,000 to 10,000 breast biopsies are performed each year in the United States. Currently, no dedicated filmless specimen radiography system is commercially available. Given the advantages of filmless radiography, especially for small field-of-view applications, we expect strong commercial interest in this technology.