title: Computerized detection of masses in digital mammograms: analysis of bilateral subtraction images.
abstract: A computerized scheme is being developed for the detection of masses in digital mammograms. Based on the deviation from the normal architectural symmetry of the right and left breasts, a bilateral subtraction technique is used to enhance the conspicuity of possible masses. The scheme employs two pairs of conventional screen-film mammograms (the right and left mediolateral oblique views and craniocaudal views), which are digitized by a TV camera/Gould digitizer. The right and left breast images in each pair are aligned manually during digitization. A nonlinear bilateral subtraction technique that involves linking multiple subtracted images has been investigated and compared to a simple linear subtraction method. Various feature-extraction techniques are used to reduce false-positive detections resulting from the bilateral subtraction. The scheme has been evaluated using 46 pairs of clinical mammograms and was found to yield a 95% true-positive rate at an average of three false-positive detections per image. This preliminary study indicates that the scheme is potentially useful as an aid to radiologists in the interpretation of screening mammograms.
authors.affiliation: Kurt Rossmann Laboratories for Radiologic Image Research, Department of Radiology, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637.
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Giger
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Vyborny
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D008403:Mass Screening