Feasibility study of a breast density measurement within a direct photon-counting mammography scanner system.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical feasibility of breast density measurements by a new application within a direct photon-counting mammography scanner system.


METHODS
A retrospective study of consecutive women who underwent mammography using a direct photon-counting mammography scanner system (MicroDose mammography SI; Philips Digital Mammography Sweden AB) was performed at the authors' institution between September and December 2013. Quantitative volumetric glandularity measurements were performed automatically for each acquired mammographic image using an application (Breast Density Measurement; Philips Digital Mammography Sweden AB). The quantitative volumetric glandularity of each breast was defined as the average values for the mediolateral oblique (MLO) and craniocaudal (CC) mammogram views.


RESULTS
Of the 44 women who underwent bilateral mammogram acquisitions, the breast density measurements were performed successfully in 40 patients (90.9%). A very good to excellent correlation in the quantitative breast density measurements acquired from the MLO and CC images was obtained in the 40 evaluable patients (R = 0.99).


CONCLUSIONS
The calculated volumetric glandularity using this new application should correspond well with the true volumetric density of each breast.
Diagnostic Imaging Center, Kameda Kyobashi Clinic, Tokyo Square Garden 4F, 3-1-1 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0031, Japan, mcdmrad@tmd.ac.jp.
Youichi
Y
Machida
Mitsuhiro
M
Tozaki
Tamiko
T
Yoshida
Ai
A
Saita
Mari
M
Yakabe
Kanae
K
Nii
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001940:Breast / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017785:Photons; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies