title: Incomplete skin representation in digital mammograms.
abstract: Flat-panel digital detector systems have limited dynamic range and saturate at a particular x-ray exposure. Hence some of the breast edge may not be represented in the displayed image. We developed a model to estimate the amount of skin loss. Model predictions agreed well with phantom measurements. In our database of 884 clinical digital mammograms, 98% had saturated backgrounds. The estimated skin loss exceeded 0.5 mm in 5% of images and 1.0 mm in 0.7% of images. Any skin thickening that is present should still be visualized, so we conclude that any skin-line loss may not be of clinical significance.
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. burgess@bwh.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Arthur E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.forename: Haejin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012867:Skin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*