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SU‐FF‐I‐20: Visibility of Simulated Microcalcifications with An ASi/aSe Flat Panel Detector Based Cone Beam CT System
Author(s) -
Shen Y,
Ge S,
Chen L,
Yi Y,
You Z,
Han T,
Zhong Y,
Liu X,
Lai C,
Wang T,
Shaw C
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.3181139
Subject(s) - imaging phantom , flat panel detector , cone beam computed tomography , optics , detector , nuclear medicine , materials science , visibility , isocenter , breast imaging , beam (structure) , mammography , physics , medicine , radiology , computed tomography , breast cancer , cancer
Purpose: To investigate the visibility of microcalcifications (MCs) with an aSi/aSe flat panel detector (FPD14, Anrad Corporation) based cone beam CT (CBCT) system. Method and materials: A bench top experimental CBCT system was configured for breast imaging and used to image a breast phantom with embedded simulated MCs of various sizes. A paraffin cylinder with a diameter of 135 mm and a height of 40 mm was used to simulate a 100% adipose breast. Calcium carbonate grains, ranging from 125 to 425 μm in size, were used to simulate the microcalcifications. 25 MCs from same size group were arranged into a 5 × 5 cluster and embedded at the center of a 15 mm diameter paraffin rod to make an MC insert, which may be inserted into a hole at the center of the breast phantom for imaging. The breast phantom with MCs was scanned at various exposure levels. 300 projection images were acquired over 360° and reconstructed with Feldkamp's backprojection algorithm using a ramp filter. The images were reviewed by 6 readers. The ratios of visible MCs, averaged over all readers, were plotted as the function of the square root of measured dose level and image signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR). Results: It was found that 90% visibility was achieved for 224 – 250 μm calcifications at an SNR of 16.8 or an isocenter dose of 5.2 mGys. 70% visibility was achieved for 224 – 250, 212 – 224, 200 – 212, 180 – 200, 160 – 180, 150 – 160 and 124 – 140 μm calcifications at an SNR of 16.8, 16.8, 25.1, 25.1, 44.5, 44.5 and 52.6, respectively. Conclusions: Percentage of visible MCs increased with the image SNR and isocenter dose. Higher SNRs and isocenter dose are required for imaging smaller MCs.