A feasibility study of X-ray phase-contrast mammographic tomography at the Imaging and Medical beamline of the Australian Synchrotron

Nesterets, Yakov; Gureyev, T. E.; Mayo, Sheridan C; Stevenson, A. W.; Thompson, Darren; Brown, Jeremy M. C.; Kitchen, Marcus John; Pavlov, Konstantin Mikhailovitch; Lockie, Darren; Brun, Francesco; Tromba, Giuliana

doi:10.1107/s160057751501766x

Cited by 40 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…The results presented here refer to a study performed at the SYnchrotron Radiation for MEdical Physics (SYRMEP) beamline of the ELETTRA synchrotron light source (Basovizza -Trieste, Italy), which is so far the only synchrotron beamline where trials on human patients have been already conducted in 2D projection mammography mode [17][18][19]. In this framework the SYRMA-CT (SYnchrotron Radiation for MAmmography) project aims to set-up a new clinical trial of PhC breast CT with synchrotron radiation in near future [20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical application of low-dose phase contrast breast CT: methods for the optimization of the reconstruction workflow

Pacilè¹,

Brun²,

Dullin³

et al. 2015

Biomed. Opt. Express

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Results are presented of a feasibility study of three-dimensional X-ray tomographic mammography utilising in-line phase contrast. Experiments were performed at SYRMEP beamline of Elettra synchrotron. A specially designed plastic phantom and a mastectomy sample containing a malignant lesion were used to study the reconstructed image quality as a function of different image processing operations. Detailed evaluation and optimization of image reconstruction workflows have been carried out using combinations of several advanced computed tomography algorithms with different pre-processing and post-processing steps. Special attention was paid to the effect of phase retrieval on the diagnostic value of the reconstructed images. A number of objective image quality indices have been applied for quantitative evaluation of the results, and these were compared with subjective assessments of the same images by three experienced radiologists and one pathologist. The outcomes of this study provide practical guidelines for the optimization of image processing workflows in synchrotron-based phase-contrast mammo-tomography.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical application of low-dose phase contrast breast CT: methods for the optimization of the reconstruction workflow

Pacilè¹,

Brun²,

Dullin³

et al. 2015

Biomed. Opt. Express

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“…Understanding this point is very important in order to appreciate the difference between the PB‐CT method employed in the present study and any form of image processing that can be utilized in conjunction with conventional absorption‐based CT. While the latter cannot improve SNR in the reconstructed slices without sacrificing the spatial resolution or increasing the x‐ray dose, PB‐CT is capable of achieving this goal, as demonstrated earlier and discussed further below.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…However, if

γ

varies across the sample, as is generally the case for breast tissues, the application of the TIE‐Hom method with

γ = constant

(as in the present study) to a propagated image may result in incomplete compensation of phase‐contrast effects in some areas and excessive blurring in other areas. As these effects have been studied and explained in detail elsewhere, we will not discuss them further here.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The microfocus x‐ray source technology is currently at a stage where it still cannot deliver x‐ray illumination of sufficient spatial coherence with a brightness (x‐ray flux) that would enable CT scans of a full human breast within a clinically acceptable time. Recent work on the development of PB‐CT technology for breast cancer imaging of live human patients has been concentrated at synchrotron facilities, especially at Elettra synchrotron in Trieste, Italy and at the Australian Synchrotron in Melbourne . In the present paper, we describe some of the latest results obtained in the process of development of breast PB‐CT imaging facility at the Imaging and Medical Beamline (IMBL) of the Australian Synchrotron …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Propagation‐based x‐ray phase‐contrast tomography of mastectomy samples using synchrotron radiation

et al. 2019

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Purpose Propagation‐based phase‐contrast computed tomography (PB‐CT) is a method for three‐dimensional x‐ray imaging that utilizes refraction, as well as absorption, of x rays in the tissues to increase the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) in the resultant images, in comparison with equivalent conventional absorption‐only x‐ray tomography (CT). Importantly, the higher SNR is achieved without sacrificing spatial resolution or increasing the radiation dose delivered to the imaged tissues. The present work has been carried out in the context of the current development of a breast CT imaging facility at the Australian Synchrotron. Methods Seven unfixed complete mastectomy samples with and without breast cancer lesions have been imaged using absorption‐only CT and PB‐CT techniques under controlled experimental conditions. The radiation doses delivered to the mastectomy samples during the scans were comparable to those approved for mammographic screening. Physical characteristics of the reconstructed images, such as spatial resolution and SNR, have been measured and compared with the results of the radiological quality assessment of the complete absorption CT and PB‐CT image stacks. Results Despite the presence of some image artefacts, the PB‐CT images have outperformed comparable absorption CT images collected at the same radiation dose, in terms of both the measured objective image characteristics and the radiological image scores. The outcomes of these experiments are shown to be consistent with predictions of the theory of PB‐CT imaging and previous reported experimental studies of this imaging modality. Conclusions The results presented in this paper demonstrate that PB‐CT holds a high potential for improving on the quality and diagnostic value of images obtained using existing medical x‐ray technologies, such as mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). If implemented at suitable synchrotron imaging facilities, PB‐CT can be used to complement existing imaging modalities, leading to more accurate breast cancer diagnosis.

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“…X-ray mammography, in particular, has been recognised as the area of medical radiography which stands to gain the most from application of phase-contrast because X-ray phase-contrast provides the maximum advantage over conventional absorption-based imaging when applied to high-resolution imaging of soft tissues (such as that within the breast) 5 . Recent publications have studied the performance of different variants of phase-contrast imaging of breast tissues both theoretically and experimentally on the basis of feasibility studies carried out at Elettra and at the Australian Synchrotron [7][8][9][10][11] . At Elettra, a program aiming to implement a PCT trial using a new, single photon counting detector is ongoing, as a continuation of the first protocol of in-line phase-contrast planar mammography carried out at the beginning of the 2000s.…”

Section: Introduction 11 Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards clinic-friendly solutions for patient trials in breast cancer phase contrast imaging

Lewis

Gureyev

Baran

et al. 2018

14th International Workshop on Breast Imaging (IWBI 2018)

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Phase-contrast imaging of the breast is expected to deliver significantly improved image quality and diagnostic value at a reduced radiation dose compared to present-day 2D X-ray mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and computed tomography (CT) and become a viable method for early diagnosis of breast cancer in women. This paper builds upon the evaluation of a novel protocol to evaluate 3D mammographic phase contrast imaging for the detection of breast cancer undertaken with a purpose designed phantom and selected breast cancer specimens. Following evaluation, propagation-based phase contrast imaging was demonstrated to have high contrast to noise ratio alongside an important reduction in radiation dose. The challenge now is to shift the focus of research to real clinic solutions, with the worldfirst demonstration of X-ray in-line full field phase-contrast mammographic tomography (PCT) with cancer patients through an international collaboration of a multidisciplinary team.

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A feasibility study of X-ray phase-contrast mammographic tomography at the Imaging and Medical beamline of the Australian Synchrotron

Cited by 40 publications

References 27 publications

Clinical application of low-dose phase contrast breast CT: methods for the optimization of the reconstruction workflow

Clinical application of low-dose phase contrast breast CT: methods for the optimization of the reconstruction workflow

Propagation‐based x‐ray phase‐contrast tomography of mastectomy samples using synchrotron radiation

Towards clinic-friendly solutions for patient trials in breast cancer phase contrast imaging

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