DIGITAL TOMOSYNTHESIS IN BREAST IMAGING

PURPOSE: To describe and evaluate a method of tomosynthesis breast ima ging with a full-field digital mammographic system. MATERIALS AND METH ODS: In this tomosynthesis method, low-radiation-dose images were acqu ired as the x-ray source was moved in an are above the stationary brea st and digital detector. A step-and-expose method of imaging was used. Breast tomosynthesis and conventional images of two imaging phantoms and four mastectomy specimens were obtained. Three experienced readers scored the relative lesion visibility, lesion margin visibility, and confidence in the classification of six lesions. RESULTS: Tomosynthesi s image-reconstruction algorithms allow tomographic imaging of the ent ire breast from a single are of the x-ray source and at a radiation do se comparable with that in single-view mammography. Except for images of a large mass in a fatty breast, the tomosynthesis images were super ior to the conventional images. CONCLUSION: Digital mammographic syste ms make breast tomosynthesis possible. Tomosynthesis may improve the s pecificity of mammography with improved lesion margin visibility and m ay improve early breast cancer detection, especially in women with rad iographically dense breasts.