Comparative image quality and dosimetric performance of two generations of dedicated breast CT systems

IF 3.2 2区医学 Q1 RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING

Medical physics Pub Date : 2025-01-21 DOI:10.1002/mp.17623

Juan J. Pautasso, Camille D. E. Van Speybroeck, Koen Michielsen, Ioannis Sechopoulos

{"title":"Comparative image quality and dosimetric performance of two generations of dedicated breast CT systems","authors":"Juan J. Pautasso, Camille D. E. Van Speybroeck, Koen Michielsen, Ioannis Sechopoulos","doi":"10.1002/mp.17623","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Background</h3>\n \n <p>Dedicated breast computed tomography (bCT) systems offer detailed imaging for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. As new bCT generations are developed, it is important to evaluate their imaging performance and dose efficiency to understand differences over previous models.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Purpose</h3>\n \n <p>To characterize the imaging performance and dose efficiency of a second-generation (GEN2) bCT system and compare them to those of a first-generation (GEN1) system.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Methods</h3>\n \n <p>The imaging performance was evaluated through key metrics: modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) in the projection domain. In the image domain, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and the visibility of calcifications were analyzed using a quality control (QC) phantom with masses and calcification clusters. Air kerma and tube output were measured and mean glandular dose (MGD) estimated for different phantom sizes for dosimetric characterization of the acquisition protocols set by the automatic exposure control (AEC).</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Results</h3>\n \n <p>GEN2 outperformed GEN1 at higher spatial frequencies, with 57% of the MTF observed at 1 cycles/mm compared to 43% for GEN1. For a 2 mm diameter mass, GEN2 showed 60% higher CNR and 63% higher SNR. However, for larger masses, GEN1 outperformed GEN2, with CNR and SNR values higher by 12% to 44% and 14% to 43%, respectively. GEN2 also achieves higher DQE across the frequency spectrum, with 45% at 1 cycle/mm, compared to GEN1's 20%. Regarding calcifications in the QC phantom, the 320 µm calcifications resulted in distinct full-width-at-half-maxima (FWHM ± SD), with 897 ± 58 µm for GEN1 and 811 ± 127 µm for GEN2, with a <i>p</i>-value of 0.19. For 290 µm calcifications, GEN1's FWHM was 866 ± 129 µm, while GEN2's was narrower at 665 ± 57 µm, with a <i>p</i>-value of 0.01. The tube output was higher for GEN1 (45.2 mGy/mAs) compared to GEN2 (31.5 mGy/mAs). Additionally, GEN2 resulted in 8% lower MGD values compared to GEN1.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Conclusion</h3>\n \n <p>While GEN1 offers better CNR and SNR for larger masses, GEN2 provides superior resolution for calcifications, better MTF, improved DQE, and lower MGD at AEC-determined settings.</p>\n </section>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":18384,"journal":{"name":"Medical physics","volume":"52 4","pages":"2191-2200"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/mp.17623","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Medical physics","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mp.17623","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Dedicated breast computed tomography (bCT) systems offer detailed imaging for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. As new bCT generations are developed, it is important to evaluate their imaging performance and dose efficiency to understand differences over previous models.

Purpose

To characterize the imaging performance and dose efficiency of a second-generation (GEN2) bCT system and compare them to those of a first-generation (GEN1) system.

Methods

The imaging performance was evaluated through key metrics: modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) in the projection domain. In the image domain, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and the visibility of calcifications were analyzed using a quality control (QC) phantom with masses and calcification clusters. Air kerma and tube output were measured and mean glandular dose (MGD) estimated for different phantom sizes for dosimetric characterization of the acquisition protocols set by the automatic exposure control (AEC).

Results

GEN2 outperformed GEN1 at higher spatial frequencies, with 57% of the MTF observed at 1 cycles/mm compared to 43% for GEN1. For a 2 mm diameter mass, GEN2 showed 60% higher CNR and 63% higher SNR. However, for larger masses, GEN1 outperformed GEN2, with CNR and SNR values higher by 12% to 44% and 14% to 43%, respectively. GEN2 also achieves higher DQE across the frequency spectrum, with 45% at 1 cycle/mm, compared to GEN1's 20%. Regarding calcifications in the QC phantom, the 320 µm calcifications resulted in distinct full-width-at-half-maxima (FWHM ± SD), with 897 ± 58 µm for GEN1 and 811 ± 127 µm for GEN2, with a p-value of 0.19. For 290 µm calcifications, GEN1's FWHM was 866 ± 129 µm, while GEN2's was narrower at 665 ± 57 µm, with a p-value of 0.01. The tube output was higher for GEN1 (45.2 mGy/mAs) compared to GEN2 (31.5 mGy/mAs). Additionally, GEN2 resulted in 8% lower MGD values compared to GEN1.

Conclusion

While GEN1 offers better CNR and SNR for larger masses, GEN2 provides superior resolution for calcifications, better MTF, improved DQE, and lower MGD at AEC-determined settings.

Abstract Image

查看原文本刊更多论文

两代专用乳腺CT系统的图像质量和剂量学性能比较。

背景：专用乳腺计算机断层扫描（bCT）系统为乳腺癌的诊断和治疗提供详细的成像。随着新一代bCT的开发，评估其成像性能和剂量效率以了解与以前型号的差异非常重要。目的：描述第二代（GEN2） bCT系统的成像性能和剂量效率，并将其与第一代（GEN1）系统进行比较。方法：通过投影域调制传递函数（MTF）、噪声功率谱（NPS）和检测量子效率（DQE）等关键指标对成像性能进行评价。在图像域，使用质量控制（QC）幻象分析肿块和钙化团块的对比噪声比（CNR）、信噪比（SNR）和钙化的可见性。在自动暴露控制（AEC）设定的采集方案的剂量学表征中，测量了不同模体尺寸的空气体积和管输出，并估计了平均腺剂量（MGD）。结果：GEN2在更高的空间频率下表现优于GEN1，在1 cycles/mm下观察到57%的MTF，而GEN1为43%。对于直径为2mm的肿块，GEN2的CNR和SNR分别提高了60%和63%。然而，对于较大的质量，GEN1优于GEN2， CNR和SNR值分别高出12%至44%和14%至43%。GEN2在整个频谱范围内也实现了更高的DQE，在1周/毫米时为45%，而GEN1为20%。对于QC幻影中的钙化，320µm的钙化导致了明显的半最大值全宽（FWHM±SD）， GEN1为897±58µm， GEN2为811±127µm， p值为0.19。对于290µm钙化，GEN1的FWHM为866±129µm， GEN2的FWHM较窄，为665±57µm， p值为0.01。与GEN2 （31.5 mGy/mAs）相比，GEN1的管输出更高（45.2 mGy/mAs）。此外，与GEN1相比，GEN2的MGD值降低了8%。结论：GEN1对较大的肿块具有更好的CNR和信噪比，而GEN2在aec确定的设置下具有更好的钙化分辨率，更好的MTF，改进的DQE和更低的MGD。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Medical physics 医学-核医学

CiteScore

6.80

自引率

15.80%

发文量

660

审稿时长

1.7 months

期刊介绍： Medical Physics publishes original, high impact physics, imaging science, and engineering research that advances patient diagnosis and therapy through contributions in 1) Basic science developments with high potential for clinical translation 2) Clinical applications of cutting edge engineering and physics innovations 3) Broadly applicable and innovative clinical physics developments Medical Physics is a journal of global scope and reach. By publishing in Medical Physics your research will reach an international, multidisciplinary audience including practicing medical physicists as well as physics- and engineering based translational scientists. We work closely with authors of promising articles to improve their quality.