1.
2.
Aurumskjöld, Marie-Louise, et al.
(författare)
A PHANTOM STUDY SHOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPRESSION IN CONVENTIONAL DIAGNOSTIC X-RAY EXAMINATIONS.
2010
Ingår i: Radiation Protection Dosimetry. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1742-3406 .- 0144-8420. ; Apr 7, s. 78-80
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Compression was earlier an important and well-managed part of the clinical routine, but during the past 15-20 y the use has diminished, except for mammography, where it is a prerequisite for having images of high quality and low radiation dose. According to national and European regulations and recommendations, it is important to apply the compression technique to obtain the optimal image quality and radiation dose in common conventional diagnostic examinations. Current experience of compression technique is, however, based on studies carried out a long time ago and with analogue imaging techniques. An anthropomorphic phantom was used to show the importance of compression in conventional X-ray examinations. The patient thicknesses on volunteers with and without compression was measured. This measurement was done to investigate compression potential on patients and to select suitable phantom thicknesses. The X-ray examinations that were included in the study were abdomen overview, lumbar spine and the pelvis. The results from the phantom study showed a large dependency of the kerma-area product value on the phantom thickness. The phantom study suggests that there is a potential for significant reduction of radiation dose to the patient by using compression also with modern X-ray techniques. A dose reduction of up to 50 % or even more may be obtained.
3.
Dustler, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
A Study of the Feasibility of using slabbing to reduce Tomosynthesis Review Time
2013
Ingår i: Medical Imaging 2013: Image Perception, Observer Performance, And Technology Assessment. - : SPIE. - 0277-786X .- 1996-756X. ; 8673, s. 86731-86731
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
This study aimed to investigate whether decreasing the amount of slices in breast tomosynthesis (BT) image volumes reduce reading time. BT slices were combined into so-called slabs, by reconstructing thin slices and merging them into thicker slabs. Sets of slabs where created from 35 clinical BT volumes with malignant or benignant findings and from 50 BT volumes drawn from screening sets (without any prior review). The image sets were reviewed in two separate sessions while the review time was recorded. A total of five experienced radiologists were employed for the image review. Additionally a VGA study was performed to compare slabbed images with the originals in order to ensure that the image quality was not significantly degraded. One set of 27 pathological cases (13 masses and 14 microcalcification clusters) and one of 22 subtle lesions that had been missed on digital mammography but detected on BT were presented to an experienced radiologist and 2 medical physicists who rated the quality of the slabbed versions relative to the originals. The study could find no significant degradation in image quality when using 2 mm slabs instead of 1 mm slices. There was no significant decrease in reading time on clinical cases (P=.133), but on screening images there was a significant decrease of 7.7 +/- 9.6 s from an average level of 32.2 +/- 14.5 s (P<.0001). This suggests that increasing slab thickness can reduce the time radiologists spend studying normal images by 20%.
4.
Dustler, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
Breast compression in mammography: pressure distribution patterns
2012
Ingår i: Acta Radiologica. - : SAGE Publications. - 1600-0455 .- 0284-1851. ; 53:9, s. 973-980
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Background: Breast compression is important in mammography in order to improve image quality, better separate tissue components, and reduce absorbed dose to the breast. In this study we use a method to measure and visualize the distribution of pressure over a compressed breast in mammography. Purpose: To measure and describe the pressure distribution over the breast as a result of applied breast compression in mammography. Material and Methods: One hundred and three women aged 40.7-74.3 years (median, 48.9 years) invited for mammographic screening consented to take part in this study. They were subjected to two additional breast compressions of the left breast (standard force and approximately 50% reduction). Pressure images of the compressed breast were obtained using force sensing resistor (FSR) sensors placed underneath the compression plate. Subjects rated their experience of pain on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Results: Four pressure patterns were identified, fitting 81 of the 103 breasts, which were grouped accordingly. The remaining 22 breasts were found to correspond to a combination of any two patterns. Two groups (43 breasts) showed pressure mainly over the juxtathoracic part of the breast, had significantly greater breast thickness (P = 0.003) and had a lower mean pressure over dense tissue (P < 0.0001) than those with more evenly distributed pressure. Reducing compression force increased average breast thickness by 1.8 mm (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: The distribution of pressure differed greatly between breasts. In a large proportion of breasts the compression plate did not provide optimal compression of the breast, the compression force being absorbed in juxtathoracic structures.
5.
Dustler, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
The Effect of Breast Positioning on Breast Compression in Mammography: a Pressure Distribution Perspective
2012
Ingår i: Medical Imaging 2012: Physics of Medical Imaging. - : SPIE. - 0277-786X .- 1996-756X. ; 8313
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
The standard procedure at mammography is to compress the breast in order to improve image quality, better separate tissue components and reduce absorbed dose to the breast. Traditionally, compression guidelines have been based on applied force, rather than actual thickness reduction. Structures such as the pectoral muscle are stiffer than breast tissue and if compressed along with it, as in the MLO-projection, might absorb much of the applied force. This study investigated the difference in compression of breasts before and after they were repositioned to exclude 1 cm of the juxtathoracic part. Twenty-one women were included in the study. The distribution of compression pressure was measured using thin FSR (Force Sensing Resistor) pressure sensors attached to the compression paddle. Breast thickness and compression force were measured by the mammographic device. Compared to standard positioning the repositioned breasts were thinner by 4.4 +/- 2.3 mm (P < 0.001) (from 50.3 mm to 45.9 mm) and had a 12.3 +/- 24.5 cm(2) (P = 0.032) larger area over which pressure was distributed (from 97.6 cm(2) to 109.9 cm(2)), despite less of the breast being included in the projection. This indicates that the inclusion of the pectoral muscle and other juxtathoracic structures in the MLO-projection substantially affects pressure distribution and prevents proper compression of the breast. The results suggest that the exact positioning of the MLO-projection should be carefully evaluated in order to find a balance between breast compression and tissue inclusion.
6.
Förnvik, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
A human observer study for evaluation and optimization of reconstruction methods in breast tomosynthesis using clinical cases
2011
Ingår i: Medical Imaging 2011: Physics of Medical Imaging. - : SPIE. - 0277-786X .- 1996-756X. ; 7961, s. 79615-79615
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
In breast tomosynthesis1 (BT) a number of 2D projection images are acquired from different angles along a limited arc. The imaged breast volume is reconstructed from the projection images, providing 3D information. The purpose of the study was to investigate and optimize different reconstruction methods for BT in terms of image quality using human observers viewing clinical cases. Sixty-six cases with suspected masses and calcifications were collected from 55 patients. Four different reconstructions of each image set were evaluated by four observers (two experienced radiologists, two experienced medical physicists): filtered back projection (FBP), iterative adapted FBP (iFBP) and two ML-convex iterative algorithm (MLCI) reconstructions (8 and 10 iterations) that differed in noise level and contrast of clinical details. Representation of masses and microcalcifications was evaluated. The structures were rated according to the overall appearance in a rank-order study. The differently reconstructed images of the same structure were displayed side by side in random order. The observers were forced to rank the order of the different reconstructed images and their proportions at each rank were scored. The results suggest that even though the FBP contains most noise its reconstructions are considered best overall, followed by iFBP, which contains least noise. In both FBP and iFBP methods the sharp borders and mass speculations were better represented than in iterative reconstructions while out-of-plane artifacts were better suppressed in the latter. However, in clinical practice the differences between the reconstructions may be considered negligible.
7.
Förnvik, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
Breast tomosynthesis: Accuracy of tumor measurement compared with digital mammography and ultrasonography.
2010
Ingår i: Acta radiologica (Stockholm, Sweden : 1987). - : SAGE Publications. - 1600-0455 .- 0284-1851. ; 51, s. 240-247
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Background: Mammographic tumor size measurement can be difficult because breast structures are superimposed onto a two-dimensional (2D) plane, potentially obscuring the tumor outline. Breast tomosynthesis (BT) is a 3D X-ray imaging technique in which low-dose images are acquired over a limited angular range at a total dose comparable to digital mammography (DM). These low-dose images are used to mathematically reconstruct a 3D image volume of the breast, thus reducing the problem of superimposed tissue. Purpose: To investigate whether breast cancer size can be more accurately assessed with breast tomosynthesis than with digital mammography and ultrasonography (US), by reducing the disturbance effect of the projected anatomy. Material and Methods: A prototype BT system was used. The main inclusion criterion for BT examination was subtle but suspicious findings of breast cancer on 2D mammography. Sixty-two women with 73 breast cancers were included. BT, DM, and US sizes were measured independently by experienced radiologists without knowledge of the pathology results, which were used as reference. Results: The tumor outline could be determined in significantly more cases with BT (63) and US (60) than DM (49). BT and US size correlated well with pathology (R=0.86 and R=0.85, respectively), and significantly better than DM size (R=0.71). Accordingly, staging was significantly more accurate with BT than with DM. Conclusion: The study indicates that BT is superior to DM in the assessment of breast tumor size and stage.
8.
Förnvik, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
Pressure distribution in mammography: compression of breasts with malignant tumor masses
2013
Ingår i: Medical Imaging 2013: Physics of Medical Imaging. - : SPIE. - 1996-756X .- 0277-786X. ; 8668, s. 86684-86684
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
The pressure distribution over a compressed breast is in general heterogeneous. In this study we investigated the pressure distribution over compressed breasts with tumor masses. Twenty-two women either recalled for work-up of findings suspicious for breast cancer in the screening program or with clinically suspected findings were included in the study. Twenty-one lesions turned out to be malignant and one benign. The distribution of compression pressure was measured using thin FSR (Force Sensing Resistor) pressure sensors attached to the compression plate. The pressure over the breast was ascertained by acquiring an x-ray image of the compressed breast with the pressure sensors present. The pressure data and the mammogram were used to create a composite image with pressure data displayed as a color overlay. The malignant tumor area generally matched an elevated pressure area and this pressure was generally higher than the pressure over surrounding parenchyma. In 11 out of 22 (50%) subjects the maximum pressure over the breast was located over the tumor. Only 4 out of 22 (18%) masses had a lower tumor mean pressure compared to the mean pressure over the breast (including one small < 10 mm tumor and one benign structure). The results suggest that tumors are stiffer, thus, absorbing more pressure compared to the surrounding parenchyma and that this property can be quantified. Refined pressure techniques could possibly be used to demonstrate the relative elasticity distribution in breast tissue, which might provide valuable differential diagnostic information.
9.
Förnvik, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
THE EFFECT OF REDUCED BREAST COMPRESSION IN BREAST TOMOSYNTHESIS: HUMAN OBSERVER STUDY USING CLINICAL CASES.
2010
Ingår i: Radiation Protection Dosimetry. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1742-3406 .- 0144-8420. ; Apr 7, s. 118-123
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate whether the compression force used with conventional mammography can be reduced with breast tomosynthesis (BT), without adversely affecting the visualisation of normal and pathological structures. Forty-five women were examined with BT using full (same as for 2D mammography) and half compression force. Both examinations were performed with the same acquisition parameters. A total of 103 paired structure images were evaluated according to specified image quality criteria. Three experienced radiologists participated in the study. They had to make a forced choice, i.e. choose the image they felt best fulfilled the image quality criteria. The results showed no evident difference in the image quality, indicating that BT may be performed with substantially less compression force compared with 2D mammography. A majority of the examined women felt that half compression was more comfortable than full compression.
10.
Jensen, Kristin, et al.
(författare)
Comparing five different iterative reconstruction algorithms for computed tomography in an ROC study
2014
Ingår i: European Radiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0938-7994 .- 1432-1084. ; 24:12, s. 2989-3002
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate lesion conspicuity achieved with five different iterative reconstruction techniques from four CT vendors at three different dose levels. Comparisons were made of iterative algorithm and filtered back projection (FBP) among and within systems. An anthropomorphic liver phantom was examined with four CT systems, each from a different vendor. CTDIvol levels of 5 mGy, 10 mGy and 15 mGy were chosen. Images were reconstructed with FBP and the iterative algorithm on the system. Images were interpreted independently by four observers, and the areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) were calculated. Noise and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were measured. One iterative algorithm increased AUC (0.79, 0.95, and 0.97) compared to FBP (0.70, 0.86, and 0.93) at all dose levels (p < 0.001 and p = 0.047). Another algorithm increased AUC from 0.78 with FBP to 0.84 (p = 0.007) at 5 mGy. Differences at 10 and 15 mGy were not significant (p-values: 0.084-0.883). Three algorithms showed no difference in AUC compared to FBP (p-values: 0.008-1.000). All of the algorithms decreased noise (10-71 %) and improved CNR. Only two algorithms improved lesion detection, even though noise reduction was shown with all algorithms. aEuro cent Iterative reconstruction algorithms affected lesion detection differently at different dose levels. aEuro cent One iterative algorithm improved lesion detectability compared to filtered back projection. aEuro cent Three algorithms did not significantly improve lesion detectability. aEuro cent One algorithm improved lesion detectability at the lowest dose level.
