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Digital tomosynthesis in breast imaging.
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1997
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Tomosynthesis reconstructs the entire breast from a single‑arc x‑ray source at a dose comparable to conventional mammography, enabling improved lesion visibility and margin assessment, and is feasible with full‑field digital mammographic systems. The study aims to describe and evaluate a tomosynthesis breast imaging method using a full‑field digital mammographic system. The method acquires low‑dose images while the x‑ray source traverses an arc above a stationary breast, using a step‑and‑expose technique on a full‑field digital mammographic system, and reconstructs tomographic images from phantoms and mastectomy specimens. Tomosynthesis produced superior images to conventional mammography except for a large mass in a fatty breast, and it may enhance specificity, margin visibility, and early breast cancer detection in women with dense breasts.
To describe and evaluate a method of tomosynthesis breast imaging with a full-field digital mammographic system.In this tomosynthesis method, low-radiation-dose images were acquired as the x-ray source was moved in an arc above the stationary breast 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.Tomosynthesis image-reconstruction algorithms allow tomographic imaging of the entire breast from a single arc of the x-ray source and at a radiation dose comparable with that in single-view mammography. Except for images of a large mass in a fatty breast, the tomosynthesis images were superior to the conventional images.Digital mammographic systems make breast tomosynthesis possible. Tomosynthesis may improve the specificity of mammography with improved lesion margin visibility and may improve early breast cancer detection, especially in women with radiographically dense breasts.