| 1. |
- Fredenberg, Erik, 1979-
(författare)
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Spectral Mammography with X-Ray Optics and a Photon-Counting Detector
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Early detection is vital to successfully treating breast cancer, and mammography screening is the most efficient and wide-spread method to reach this goal. Imaging low-contrast targets, while minimizing the radiation exposure to a large population is, however, a major challenge. Optimizing the image quality per unit radiation dose is therefore essential. In this thesis, two optimization schemes with respect to x-ray photon energy have been investigated: filtering the incident spectrum with refractive x-ray optics (spectral shaping), and utilizing the transmitted spectrum with energy-resolved photon-counting detectors (spectral imaging). Two types of x-ray lenses were experimentally characterized, and modeled using ray tracing, field propagation, and geometrical optics. Spectral shaping reduced dose approximately 20% compared to an absorption-filtered reference system with the same signal-to-noise ratio, scan time, and spatial resolution. In addition, a focusing pre-object collimator based on the same type of optics reduced divergence of the radiation and improved photon economy by about 50%. A photon-counting silicon detector was investigated in terms of energy resolution and its feasibility for spectral imaging. Contrast-enhanced tumor imaging with a system based on the detector was characterized and optimized with a model that took anatomical noise into account. Improvement in an ideal-observer detectability index by a factor of 2 to 8 over that obtained by conventional absorption imaging was found for different levels of anatomical noise and breast density. Increased conspicuity was confirmed by experiment. Further, the model was extended to include imaging of unenhanced lesions. Detectability of microcalcifications increased no more than a few percent, whereas the ability to detect large tumors might improve on the order of 50% despite the low attenuation difference between glandular and cancerous tissue. It is clear that inclusion of anatomical noise and imaging task in spectral optimization may yield completely different results than an analysis based solely on quantum noise.
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| 2. |
- Fredenberg, Erik, PhD, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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A low-absorption x-ray energy filter for small-scale applications
- 2009
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Ingår i: Optics Express. - : The Optical Society. - 1094-4087. ; 17:14, s. 11388-11398
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present an experimental and theoretical evaluation of an x-ray energy filter based on the chromatic properties of a prism-array lens (PAL). It is intended for small-scale applications such as medical imaging. The PAL approximates a Fresnel lens and allows for high efficiency compared to filters based on ordinary refractive lenses, however at the cost of a lower energy resolution. Geometrical optics was found to provide a good approximation for the performance of a flawless lens, but a field-propagation model was used for quantitative predictions. The model predicted a 0.29 ΔE/E energy resolution and an intensity gain of 6.5 for a silicon PAL at 23.5 keV. Measurements with an x-ray tube showed good agreement with the model in energy resolution and peak energy, but a blurred focal line contributed to a 29% gain reduction. We believe the blurring to be caused mainly by lens imperfections, in particular at the periphery of the lens.
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| 3. |
- Fredenberg, Erik, PhD, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography with a photon-counting detector
- 2010
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Ingår i: Medical physics (Lancaster). - : Wiley. - 0094-2405. ; 37:5, s. 2017-2029
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Spectral imaging is a method in medical x-ray imaging to extract information about the object constituents by the material-specific energy dependence of x-ray attenuation. In particular, the detectability of a contrast agent can be improved over a lumpy background. We have investigated a photon-counting spectral imaging system with two energy bins for contrast-enhanced mammography. System optimization and the potential benefit compared to conventional non-energy-resolved imaging was studied.Methods: A framework for system characterization was set up that included quantum and anatomical noise, and a theoretical model of the system was benchmarked to phantom measurements.Results: It was found that optimal combination of the energy-resolved images corresponded approximately to minimization of the anatomical noise, and an ideal-observer detectability index could be improved more than a factor of two compared to absorption imaging in the phantom study. In the clinical case, an improvement close to 80% was predicted for an average glandularity breast, and a factor of eight for dense breast tissue. Another 70% was found to be within reach for an optimized system.Conclusions: Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography is feasible and beneficial with the current system, and there is room for additional improvements.
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| 4. |
- Fredenberg, Erik, PhD, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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A Tunable Energy Filter for Medical X-Ray Imaging
- 2008
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Ingår i: X-Ray Optics and Instrumentation. - : Hindawi. - 1687-7632 .- 1687-7640. ; 2008
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A multiprism lens (MPL) is a refractive X-ray lens, and its chromatic properties can be employed in an energy filtering setup to obtain a narrow tunable X-ray spectrum. We present the first evaluation of such a filter for medical X-ray imaging. The experimental setup yields a 6.6 gain of flux at 20 keV, and we demonstrate tunability by altering the energy spectrum to center also around 17 and 23 keV. All measurements are found to agree well with ray-tracing and a proposed geometrical model. Compared to a model mammography system with absorption filtering, the experimental MPL filter reduces dose 13–25% for 3–7 cm breasts if the spectrum is centered around the optimal energy. Additionally, the resolution is improved 2.5 times for a 5 cm breast. The scan time is increased 3 times but can be reduced with a slightly decreased energy filtering and resolution.
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| 5. |
- Fredenberg, Erik, PhD, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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Energy filtering with x-ray lenses: Optimization for photon-counting mammography
- 2010
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Ingår i: Radiation Protection Dosimetry. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0144-8420 .- 1742-3406. ; 139, s. 339-342
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chromatic properties of the multi-prism and prism-array x-ray lenses (MPL and PAL) can potentially be utilized for efficient energy filtering and dose reduction in mammography. The line-shaped foci of the lenses are optimal for coupling to photon-counting silicon strip detectors in a scanning system. A theoretical model was developed and used to investigate the benefit of two lenses compared to an absorption-filtered reference system. The dose reduction of the MPL filter was 15% compared to the reference system at matching scan time, and the spatial resolution was higher. The dose of the PAL-filtered system was found to be 20% lower than for the reference system at equal scan time and resolution, and only 20% higher than for a monochromatic beam. An investigation of some practical issues remains, including the feasibility of brilliant-enough x-ray sources and manufacturing of a polymer PAL.
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| 6. |
- Fredenberg, Erik, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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An efficient pre-object collimator based on an x-ray lens
- 2009
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Ingår i: Medical physics (Lancaster). - : Wiley. - 0094-2405. ; 36:2, s. 626-633
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A multiprism lens (MPL) is a refractive x-ray lens with one-dimensional focusing properties. If used as a pre-object collimator in a scanning system for medical x-ray imaging, it reduces the divergence of the radiation and improves on photon economy compared to a slit collimator. Potential advantages include shorter acquisition times, a reduced tube loading, or improved resolution. We present the first images acquired with a MPL in a prototype for a scanning mammography system. The lens showed a gain of flux of 1.32 compared to a slit collimator at equal resolution, or a gain in resolution of 1.31–1.44 at equal flux. We expect the gain of flux in a clinical setup with an optimized MPL and a custom-made absorption filter to reach 1.67, or 1.45–1.54 gain in resolution.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Sundberg, Christel, et al.
(författare)
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Silicon photon-counting detector for full-field CT usingan ASIC with adjustable shaping time
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Imaging. - : SPIE - International Society for Optical Engineering. - 2329-4302 .- 2329-4310. ; 7:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Photon-counting silicon strip detectors are attracting interest for use in next-generation CT scanners. For CT detectors in a clinical environment, it is desirable to have a low power consumption. However, decreasing the power consumption leads to higher noise. This is particularly detrimental for silicon detectors, which require a low noise floor to obtain a good dose efficiency. The increase in noise can be mitigated using a longer shaping time in the readout electronics. This also results in longer pulses, which requires an increased deadtime, thereby degrading the count-rate performance. However, as the photon flux varies greatly during a typical CT scan, not all projection lines require a high count-rate capability. We propose adjusting the shaping time to counteract the increased noise that results from decreasing the power consumption.Approach: To show the potential of increasing the shaping time to decrease the noise level, synchrotron measurements were performed using a detector prototype with two shaping time settings. From the measurements, a simulation model was developed and used to predict the performance of a future channel design.Results: Based on the synchrotron measurements, we show that increasing the shaping time from 28.1 to 39.4 ns decreases the noise and increases the signal-to-noise ratio with 6.5% at low count rates. With the developed simulation model, we predict that a 50% decrease in power can be attained in a proposed future detector design by increasing the shaping time with a factor of 1.875.Conclusion: Our results show that the shaping time can be an important tool to adapt the pulse length and noise level to the photon flux and thereby optimize the dose efficiency of photon-counting silicon detectors.
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| 9. |
- Fredenberg, Erik, PhD, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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Observer model optimization of a spectral mammography system
- 2010
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Ingår i: Medical Imaging 2010. - : SPIE. - 9780819480231
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spectral imaging is a method in medical x-ray imaging to extract information about the object constituents by the material-specific energy dependence of x-ray attenuation. Contrast-enhanced spectral imaging has been thoroughly investigated, but unenhanced imaging may be more useful because it comes as a bonus to the conventional non-energy-resolved absorption image at screening; there is no additional radiation dose and no need for contrast medium. We have used a previously developed theoretical framework and system model that include quantum and anatomical noise to characterize the performance of a photon-counting spectral mammography system with two energy bins for unenhanced imaging. The theoretical framework was validated with synthesized images. Optimal combination of the energy-resolved images for detecting large unenhanced tumors corresponded closely, but not exactly, to minimization of the anatomical noise, which is commonly referred to as energy subtraction. In that case, an ideal-observer detectability index could be improved close to 50% compared to absorption imaging. Optimization with respect to the signal-to-quantum-noise ratio, commonly referred to as energy weighting, deteriorated detectability. For small microcalcifications or tumors on uniform backgrounds, however, energy subtraction was suboptimal whereas energy weighting provided a minute improvement. The performance was largely independent of beam quality, detector energy resolution, and bin count fraction. It is clear that inclusion of anatomical noise and imaging task in spectral optimization may yield completely different results than an analysis based solely on quantum noise.
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| 10. |
- Xu, Cheng
(författare)
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A Segmented Silicon Strip Detector for Photon-Counting Spectral Computed Tomography
- 2012
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Konstnärligt arbete (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Spectral computed tomography with energy-resolving detectors has a potential to improve the detectability of images and correspondingly reduce the radiation dose to patients by extracting and properly using the energy information in the broad x-ray spectrum. A silicon photon-counting detector has been developed for spectral CT and it has successfully solved the problem of high photon flux in clinical CT applications by adopting the segmented detector structure and operating the detector in edge-on geometry. The detector was evaluated by both the simulation and measurements.The effects of energy loss and charge sharing on the energy response of this segmented silicon strip detector with different pixel sizes were investigated by Monte Carlo simulation and a comparison to pixelated CdTe detectors is presented. The validity of spherical approximations of initial charge cloud shape in silicon detectors was evaluated and a more accurate statistical model has been proposed.A photon-counting energy-resolving application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) developed for spectral CT was characterized extensively by electrical pulses, pulsed laser and real x-ray photons from both the synchrotron and an x-ray tube. It has been demonstrated that the ASIC performs as designed. A noise level of 1.09 keV RMS has been measured and a threshold dispersion of 0.89 keV RMS has been determined. The count rate performance of the ASIC in terms of count loss and energy resolution was evaluated by real x-rays and promising results have been obtained.The segmented silicon strip detector was evaluated using synchrotron radiation. An energy resolution of 16.1% has been determined with 22 keV photons in the lowest flux limit, which deteriorates to 21.5% at an input count rate of 100 Mcps mm−2. The fraction of charge shared events has been estimated and found to be 11.1% for 22 keV and 15.3% for 30 keV. A lower fraction of charge shared events and an improved energy resolution can be expected by applying a higher bias voltage to the detector.
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