A comparison of digitized storage phosphors and conventional mammography in the detection of malignant microcalcifications.
The detectability of malignant tumor-derived microcalcifications with conventional mammography was compared to that with digital images (2000 X 2510 pixels by 10 bits) derived from a storage phosphor-based digital radiography system capable of 5 line pair/mm resolution at identical exposure factors (30 kVp, 250 mAs, 65 cm film-focus distance). Microcalcifications (50-800 microns in diameter) were randomly superimposed on a preserved human breast specimen. ROC analysis based on 480 observations made by four readers indicated that the ability to detect the calcifications with digital images (ROC area = 0.871 +/- 0.066) was equivalent to conventional mammography (ROC area = 0.866 +/- 0.075) despite lower spatial resolution. With digital mammography, 62% of all clusters were correctly localized, but only 23.6% of the individual calcifications were counted. With conventional mammography 61% of all clusters were correctly localized, but significantly more of the individual calcifications (31.5%) were counted.
Oestmann
J W
JW
Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
Kopans
D
D
Hall
D A
DA
McCarthy
K A
KA
Rubens
J R
JR
Greene
R
R
D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008327:Mammography; D008961:Models, Structural; D012372:ROC Curve; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement