title: Short communication: A printed image quality test phantom for mammography.
abstract: This communication describes a novel design for a mammographic image quality test phantom, the final design of which was produced as a radiographer weekly quality assurance phantom for breast screening and symptomatic mammography. The phantom is based on low contrast test features which are built up by superimposing sheets of Mylar overhead projector transparency, on which the test features are printed using a standard LaserJet printer. The required radiation contrast at mammographic energies is produced by the approximately 50% by weight component of iron oxide (Fe(3)O(4)) present in the toner. An easily replicated design of mammographic image quality phantom based on LaserJet printed test features is described. Approximately 40 of these phantoms were constructed, and these have been used successfully for 5 years in both breast screening and symptomatic mammography. The phantom design offers a performance similar to much more expensive mammographic contrast-detail phantoms, but suffers from the disadvantage that high contrast resolution bar patterns cannot be produced using the standard printing process.
authors.affiliation: Regional Medical Physics Department, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6BE, UK.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kotre
authors.forename: D J T
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Porter
mesh_terms: D016287:Computer Peripherals; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide