Feasibility of CT Mammography Using Flat Panel Detectors

在平面乳房X线片中检测病变是一项不同的任务，主要是由于叠加的实质性乳房图案的掩蔽效应。断层成像可以为放射科医生提供贯穿三维(D)的图像切片。乳房可能会减少这种遮盖效果。这项研究的目的是探讨使用非晶硅平板图像进行乳腺体积复合断层扫描(CT)的可行性。我们的假设是，使用最先进的数字探测器的专用CT乳房X光检查可以提供高质量的图像和乳腺组织的三维可视化，其辐射剂量大致相当于筛查乳房X光检查的辐射剂量。我们建议通过集成商业原型、平板图像和包含精密旋转和跨国平台的光学台板来研究这种系统的特性。这将允许获取通过旋转模体以360度以上的角度步长拍摄的投影图像。我们还建议在理论上研究可选的CT乳房X光成像系统配置，使用平板探测器中单个和噪声传播的数学模型，以及乳房成像中病变检测任务的实际模型。设计和采集参数，如断层扫描采样要求、成像几何形状、x射线转换器特性和入射到BRAE上的x射线能谱将被调查。此前的报告表明，断层扫描乳房成像具有巨大的潜力。为了评估断层扫描乳房X光检查的改进，我们计划使用人类观察者研究比较病变检测的准确性，并模拟平面乳房X光检查、断层合成和CT生成的图像。这些研究的一个重要组成部分将是使用病变和乳房组织的现实模型。这些模型将基于手术切除的病变和乳腺组织样本的统计特征来确定。

Detection of lesions in planar mammogram is a different task, predominantly due to the masking effect of superimposed parenchymal breast patterns. Tomographic imaging can provide the radiologist with image slices through the three dimensional (D.) breast possibly reducing this masking effect. The goal of the proposed research is to investigate the feasibility OD using an amorphous silicon, flat-panel image for volumetric compound tomography (CT) of the breast. Our hypothesis is that dedicated CT mammography using state-of-the-art digital detectors can provide high quality images and three dimensional visualization of breast tissue, with a radiation dose approximately equivalent to that given in screening mammography. We propose to investigate the characteristics of such a system by integrating a commercial prototype, flat panel image, with an optical bench plate containing precision rotational and transnational stages. This would allow the acquisition of projection imaged by rotating phantoms in angular steps over 360 degrees. We also propose to theoretically investigate optional CT mammography system configurations using mathematical models of single and noise propagation through the flat panel detector, and realistic models of the lesion detection task in breast imaging. Design and acquisition parameters such as tomographic sampling requirements, imaging geometry, x-ray converter characteristics, and x-ray energy spectrum incident on the braes will be investigated. Previous reports have suggested great potential for tomographic breast imaging. To evaluate improvements in tomographic mammography, if any, we plan to compare lesion detection accuracy using human observer studies and stimulates images generated with planar mammography, tomosynthesis, and CT . an important component of these studies will be the use of realistic models for lesions and breast tissue. These models will be determined based on the statistical characterization of surgically removed lesion and breast tissue specimens.