title: Circular tomosynthesis: potential in imaging of breast and upper cervical spine--preliminary phantom and in vitro study.
abstract: Phantom and in vitro studies were performed to evaluate the potential application of digital circular tomosynthesis in imaging of the breast and upper cervical spine. A prototype volumetric x-ray system was used to image a mammographic phantom, a fresh mastectomy specimen, and a head phantom containing the upper cervical spine. Results show that breast tissue visualization is improved by the ability to produce sectional images that blur overlying structures and yield three-dimensional information about calcification clusters. In upper cervical spine imaging, digital circular tomosynthesis effectively blurs overlying jaw and skull structures so that C1 and C2 can be visualized in a standard anteroposterior view.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology and Applied Physics, Lucas MRSI Center, Stanford University, California, USA. Grant.Stevens@med.ge.con
authors.forename: Grant M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Robyn L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Birdwell
authors.forename: Christopher F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Beaulieu
authors.forename: Debra M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Norbert J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Pelc
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008327:Mammography; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement