Imaging performance of a clinical selenium flat-panel detector for advanced applications in full-field digital mammography

Abstract

The advent of digital detectors will enable several advanced imaging applications to be used in the fight against breast cancer. For example, dynamic imaging applications such as tomosynthesis, contrast enhanced and dual energy mammography have demonstrated promising results. In this paper, we will assess the suitability of this detector for these advanced applications. MTF and DQE measurements were performed on a selenium FFDM detector to assess image quality. Ghosting properties of a digital detector are also an important factor, since it can strongly degrade image quality. In this paper, we will also report on the ghosting characteristics of the selenium detector, using typical exposures envisioned to be used in tomosynthesis exams. The physical mechanisms that create ghost images will be discussed and will be quantified.