Breast Cancer Detection and Imaging using Analyzer-less X-ray Interferometry

我们提出了一种适用于乳房X光检查的新型X射线干涉成像系统。这 采用调制位相光栅的多对比乳腺摄影系统(MCMS-MPG)提供3 互补类型的图像.常规衰减、相位对比度和暗视野(小角散射) -全部通过一次扫描进行处理，提供给患者的剂量与 标准的筛查乳房X光检查。使这种筛选干涉成像技术 可能的系统是调制位相光栅(MPG)，它可以产生高质量的X射线干涉条纹 临床X射线探测器即使在紧凑的距离(&lt；70厘米)也能观察到，而没有通量吸收 分析器--其他先进的X射线干涉测量系统所需的光栅。而关键的科学前提是 我们的系统是独立于应用程序的，在这个项目中，我们专注于乳腺癌的应用，因为近1 在美国，每8名女性中就有8人会在一生中患上浸润性乳腺癌。筛查和早期 诊断是降低死亡率的关键。每年有近4000万妇女接受筛查 乳房X光照相是一种被广泛接受的使用低能X射线的放射成像方法。海流 乳房X光摄影系统的生成产生92%的灵敏度和84-92%的特异度。误报需要 用于诊断成像和活组织检查的召回，每年的成本高达79亿美元。提高灵敏度 因此，筛查的特异性将对乳腺癌的诊断产生重大的综合影响，因为 以及相关的医疗费用。我们的假设是，我们的系统额外的多对比度信息 提供给患者的剂量不超过目前筛查的乳房X光检查的剂量，将产生更高的 其灵敏度和特异度均高于标准筛查乳房X光检查。这个项目有两个目标。目标1： 我们将进行全面的模拟，并开发一种迭代恢复方法来改善图像 质量。该恢复算法消除了不想要的图像退化效应，如非相干散射。这个 模拟器和恢复算法将使用数字乳房模型和一个 放射科医生的观察者研究。AIM2：我们将构建我们的MCMS-MPG系统的原型版本，并 评价其在人体乳腺病理标本中的应用及质量保证 体模，使用与筛查乳房X光照相系统相当的辐射剂量。一项观察者研究 放射科医生将参与此次评估。

We propose a novel X-ray interferometry imaging system which is suitable for screening mammography. This Multi-Contrast Mammography System with Modulated Phase Gratings (MCMS-MPG) provides 3 complementary types of images – conventional attenuation, phase-contrast and dark-field (small-angle-scatter) – all processed from a single scan with an amount of dose delivered to the patient that is comparable to that of a standard screening mammogram. The key innovation that makes this screening interferometry imaging system possible is the modulated phase grating (MPG) which makes high-quality X-ray interference fringes observable by clinical X-ray detectors even at compact distances (<70cm) without the fluence absorbing analyzer-grating required for other advanced X-ray interferometry systems. While the key scientific premise of our system is application independent, in this project we focus on breast cancer application because nearly 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. Screening and early diagnosis are key to reducing the death rate. Nearly 40 million women per year are screened using mammography, a widely accepted radiologic imaging method that uses low-energy X-rays. The current generation of mammography systems yields 92% sensitivity and 84-92% specificity. False positives require recalls for diagnostic imaging and biopsies, the costs of which run to $7.9 billion/year. Improving the sensitivity and specificity for screening will therefore have a significant combined impact on breast-cancer diagnosis as well as related healthcare costs. Our hypothesis is that the additional multi-contrast information that our system provides, obtained with no more dose to patient than with current screening mammograms, will yield higher sensitivity and specificity than those for standard screening mammograms. This project has two aims. Aim1: We will perform comprehensive simulations and develop an iterative recovery method to improve image quality. The recovery algorithm removes unwanted image degradation effects like incoherent scatter. The simulator and recovery algorithm will be validated experimentally using digital breast phantoms and an observer study by radiologists. Aim2: We will build a prototype version of our MCMS-MPG system and evaluate its performance on human breast pathology samples and mammography quality assurance phantoms, using radiation doses comparable to screening mammography systems. An observer study with radiologists will be used for this evaluation.