Microcalcification detectability using a bench‐top prototype photon‐counting breast CT based on a Si strip detector

Cho, Hyo-Min; Ding, Huanjun; Barber, William C.; Iwanczyk, Jan S.; Molloi, Sabee

doi:10.1118/1.4922680

Cited by 8 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…20 The reduced absorption by thinner walls would result in slightly increased crosstalk but since most nonguided photons would pass many walls before reaching the detector, resulting in a high accumulated probability of absorption, this would not degrade the spatial resolution in any substantial way. Finally, we believe the high-resolution x-ray imaging demonstrated here could have applications in medical imaging such as for studies of microcalcifications in mammography 21 and in xray computed tomography an example of which would be analysis of trabecular bone samples. 22,23 Apart from medical applications, it could also have uses in high-resolution x-ray material analysis.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

High‐resolution x‐ray imaging using a structured scintillator

2016

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

High‐resolution x‐ray imaging using a structured scintillator

2016

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“…This is due to decreased detector pixel size and a direct conversion of x-ray photons into electric charge, which decreases intrinsic noise. In a phantom study, Cho et al concluded that dedicated photon-counting breast CT scanners perform better than cone beam CT and could even improve detection of microcalcifications (MCs) compared to mammography [ 17 ]. Kalender et al developed a high-resolution spiral breast CT (SBCT) with a spiral acquisition mode and a photon-counting detector.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection of Microcalcifications in Spiral Breast Computed Tomography with Photon-Counting Detector Is Feasible: A Specimen Study

et al. 2021

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The primary objective of the study was to compare a spiral breast computed tomography system (SBCT) to digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) for the detection of microcalcifications (MCs) in breast specimens. The secondary objective was to compare various reconstruction modes in SBCT. In total, 54 breast biopsy specimens were examined with mammography as a standard reference, with DBT, and with a dedicated SBCT containing a photon-counting detector. Three different reconstruction modes were applied for SBCT datasets (Recon1 = voxel size (0.15 mm)3, smooth kernel; Recon2 = voxel size (0.05 mm)3, smooth kernel; Recon3 = voxel size (0.05 mm)3, sharp kernel). Sensitivity and specificity of DBT and SBCT for the detection of suspicious MCs were analyzed, and the McNemar test was used for comparisons. Diagnostic confidence of the two readers (Likert Scale 1 = not confident; 5 = completely confident) was analyzed with ANOVA. Regarding detection of MCs, reader 1 had a higher sensitivity for DBT (94.3%) and Recon2 (94.9%) compared to Recon1 (88.5%; p < 0.05), while sensitivity for Recon3 was 92.4%. Respectively, reader 2 had a higher sensitivity for DBT (93.0%), Recon2 (92.4%), and Recon3 (93.0%) compared to Recon1 (86.0%; p < 0.05). Specificities ranged from 84.7–94.9% for both readers (p > 0.05). The diagnostic confidence of reader 1 was better with SBCT than with DBT (DBT 4.48 ± 0.88, Recon1 4.77 ± 0.66, Recon2 4.89 ± 0.44, and Recon3 4.75 ± 0.72; DBT vs. Recon1/2/3: p < 0.05), while reader 2 found no differences. Sensitivity and specificity for the detection of MCs in breast specimens is equal for DBT and SBCT when a small voxel size of (0.05 mm)3 is used with an equal or better diagnostic confidence for SBCT compared to DBT.

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“…Imaging protocols are often developed and optimized using physical phantoms with features that represent disease processes. [1][2][3][4] In the case of μCalcs, this commonly means the use of small calcium grains embedded within some background material. 1,3,4 One of the advantages of experimental work performed with physical phantom is that ground truth should in principle be available.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-resolution μCT imaging for characterizing microcalcification detection performance in breast CT

et al. 2021

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Purpose: To demonstrate the utility of high-resolution micro-computed tomography (μCT) for determining ground-truth size and shape properties of calcium grains for evaluation of detection performance in breast CT (bCT).Approach: Calcium carbonate grains (∼200 μm) were suspended in 1% agar solution to emulate microcalcifications (μCalcs) within a fibroglandular tissue background. Ground-truth imaging was performed on a commercial μCT scanner and was used for assessing calcium-grain size and shape, and for generating μCalc signal profiles. Calcium grains were placed within a realistic breast-shaped phantom and imaged on a prototype bCT system at 3-and 6-mGy mean glandular dose (MGD) levels, and the non-prewhitening detectability was assessed. Additionally, the μCT-derived signal profiles were used in conjunction with the bCT system characterization (MTF and NPS) to obtain predictions of bCT detectability.Results: Estimated detectability of the calcium grains on the bCT system ranged from 2.5 to 10.6 for 3 mGy and from 3.8 to 15.3 for 6 mGy with large fractions of the grains meeting the Rose criterion for visibility. Segmentation of μCT images based on morphological operations produced accurate results in terms of segmentation boundaries and segmented region size. A regression model linking bCT detectability to μCalc parameters indicated significant effects of μCalc size and vertical position within the breast phantom. Detectability using μCT-derived detection templates and bCT statistical properties (MTF and NPS) were in good correspondence with those measured directly from bCT (R 2 > 0.88).Conclusions: Parameters derived from μCT ground-truth data were shown to produce useful characterizations of detectability when compared to estimates derived directly from bCT. Signal profiles derived from μCT imaging can be used in conjunction with measured or hypothesized statistical properties to evaluate the performance of a system, or system component, that may not currently be available.

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Microcalcification detectability using a bench‐top prototype photon‐counting breast CT based on a Si strip detector

Abstract: The proposed photon-counting breast CT system based on a Si strip detector can potentially offer superior image quality to detect μCa with a lower dose level than a standard two-view mammography.

Cited by 8 publications

References 48 publications

High‐resolution x‐ray imaging using a structured scintillator

High‐resolution x‐ray imaging using a structured scintillator

Detection of Microcalcifications in Spiral Breast Computed Tomography with Photon-Counting Detector Is Feasible: A Specimen Study

High-resolution μCT imaging for characterizing microcalcification detection performance in breast CT

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