Feasibility study for the improvement of microcalcification visualization in different breast thicknesses and tissue components using a dual-energy approach in digital mammography.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to improve detectability of microcalcifications using a dual-energy digital mammographic (DEDM) technique.


METHODS
Slabs of uniform breast-equivalent plastic and an additional plate were used to mimic various breast thicknesses, from 3 to 7 cm, and to simulate microcalcification with diameters from 0.16 to 0.39 mm. Free-response receiver operating characteristics and area under the curves (Az) were used to evaluate the sensitivity of detecting microcalcifications using the DEDM compared with using the conventional single-energy digital mammography (SEDM).


RESULTS
The mean number of false-positives per image was 0.0198 (Az = 0.956 ± 0.027) using DEDM compared with 0.292 (Az = 0.681 ± 0.235) using SEDM. A lower radiation dose could be possibly obtained for the DEDM technique with a thickness of less than 5 cm compared with the SEDM with a thickness larger than 5 cm.


CONCLUSIONS
Microcalcifications could be more accurately and efficiently detected using the DEDM, which might bring reliable and promising applications on early computer-aided diagnosis of breast cancer.
Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chia-Jung
CJ
Tsai
Ran-Chou
RC
Chen
Shuo-Hui
SH
Hung
Jay
J
Wu
Hui-Ling
HL
Peng
Jason J S
JJ
Lee
D019540:Area Under Curve; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity