PURPOSE: To study the effect of three mammography target-filter combin
ations on contrast and dose. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With screen-film s
ensitometry, the contrast of a calcification target embedded in simula
ted breast tissue was measured for three target-filter combinations-mo
lybdenum-molybdenum (Mo-Mo), molybdenum rhodium (Mo-Rh), and rhodium-r
hodium (Rh-Rh)-as a function of x-ray tube potential, breast thickness
, and breast composition. The corresponding: average glandular tissue
doses were also determined. RESULTS: Contrast and dose decreased with
increasing kilovolt peak with all three target-filter combinations. Co
ntrast was highest for Mo-Mo and lowest for Rh-Rh for images exposed w
ith a low kilovoltage (<29 kVp). For thick or radiographically dense p
hantoms, the contrast produced with Mo-Mo was less than or equal to th
at produced by the other two x-ray spectra when a higher kilovoltage (
greater than or equal to 29 kVp) was selected. Average glandular dose
was greatest for Mo-Mo and lowest for Rh-Rh for all phantom thicknesse
s, breast compositions, and tube potentials studied. CONCLUSION: For t
he thick or dense breast, the alternative target-filter selections can
achieve contrast comparable to or better than that obtainable with Mo
-Mo while using a smaller dose.