Comparison of two screen-film combinations in contact and magnification mammography: detectability of microcalcifications.
A new dual-screen, dual-emulsion-film combination that allows a decrease in radiation dose of approximately 66% was compared with a widely used single-screen, single-emulsion-film system in contact and magnification mammography. Clustered microcalcifications randomly superimposed on a breast phantom were detected, and the location and number of individual calcifications were determined by four observers. The detectability of calcifications, determined with a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis area, was 0.92 for magnification and 0.82 for contact mammography with the single-emulsion-film system, compared with 0.84 and 0.72, respectively, with the dual-emulsion-film system. More clusters were correctly located and more individual calcifications were counted with magnification than with contact mammography. The dual-emulsion-film system with the magnification technique performs as well as the single-emulsion-film system with the contact technique, while retaining a decrease in required dose of approximately 40%.
Oestmann
J W
JW
Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Kopans
D B
DB
Linetsky
L
L
Hall
D A
DA
McCarthy
K A
KA
White
G
G
Swann
C
C
Kelley
J E
JE
Johnson
L L
LL
D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D008961:Models, Structural; D012372:ROC Curve; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011858:Radiographic Magnification; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens / Q000592:standards*