Digital mammographic systems make breast tomosynthesis possible. Tomosynthesis may improve the specificity of mammography with improved lesion margin visibility and may improve early breast cancer detection, especially in women with radiographically dense breasts.

No abstract

We measured the physical imaging performance of a 41 x 41 cm2 amorphous silicon flat panel detector designed for angiographic and R&F imaging applications using methods from the emerging IEC standard for the measurement of detective quantum efficiency (DQE) in digital radiographic detectors. Measurements on 12 production detectors demonstrate consistent performance. The mean DQE at the detector center is about 0.77 at zero frequency and 0.27 at the Nyquist frequency (2.5 cycles/mm) when measured with a 7 mm of Al HVL spectrum at about 3.6 microGy. The mean MTF at the center of the detector for this spectrum is 0.24 at the Nyquist frequency. For radiographic operation all 2048 x 2048 detector elements are read out individually. For fluoroscopy, the detector operates in two 30 frame per second modes: either the center 1024 x 1024 detector elements are read out or the entire detector is read out with 2 x 2 pixel binning. A model was developed to predict differences in performance between the modes, and measurements demonstrate agreement with the model. Lag was measured using a quasi-equilibrium exposure method and was found to be 0.044 in the first frame and less than 0.007 after 1 s. We demonstrated that it is possible to use the lag data to correct for temporal correlation in images when measuring DQE with a fluoroscopic imaging technique. Measurements as a function of position on the detector demonstrate a high degree of uniformity. We also characterized dependences on spectrum, exposure level, and direction. Finally, we measured the DQE of a current state of the art image intensifier/CCD system using the same method as for the flat panel. We found the image intensifier system to have lower DQE than the flat panel at high exposure levels and approximately equivalent DQE at fluoroscopic levels.

SUMMARY A technique for depth profiling of semiconductors is described based upon the measurement of induced junction currents as a function of beam energy. Using the known energy loss relation and electron hole pair generation rate it is possible to infer quantitative information about the semiconductor structures as a function of depth between ∼0·02 and ∼5 μm for silicon. Examples of the application of the technique to implanted and electron beam pulse annealed silicon and to a JFET transistor are described. Calculations of diffusion length limits, junction depths, poly‐silicon thickness, epitaxial layer thickness and surface recombination velocity are discussed.

No abstract