Computerized assessment of tissue composition on digitized mammograms.
OBJECTIVE
The authors developed a computerized method for the quantitative assessment of breast tissue composition on digitized mammograms.


METHODS
Three radiologists were asked to review 200 digitized mammograms and independently provide a Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System-like rating for breast tissue composition on a scale of 0 to 4. These values were incorporated into a "consensus" rating that was used as a reference point in the development and evaluation of a computerized method. After tissue segmentation that excluded nontissue areas, a set of quantitative features was computed. A computerized summary index that attempts to reproduce the radiologists' ratings was developed. Correlation coefficients (Pearson r) were used to compare the computerized index with the consensus ratings.


RESULTS
Some individual features computed for the relatively dense breast areas showed good correlation (r > 0.8) with the radiologists' subjective ratings. The summary index of tissue composition demonstrated a significant correlation (r = 0.87), as well.


CONCLUSIONS
Computerized methods that show good correlation with radiologists' ratings of breast tissue composition can be developed.
Chang
Yuan-Hsiang
YH
Department of Radiology, Imaging Research, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Wang
Xiao-Hui
XH
Hardesty
Lara A
LA
Chang
Thomas S
TS
Poller
William R
WR
Good
Walter F
WF
Gur
David
D
D001940:Breast / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation