Three-dimensional digital breast tomosynthesis in the early diagnosis and detection of breast cancer

Abstract

This paper presents doctoral thesis of three-dimensional digital breast tomosynthesis in the early diagnosis and detection of breast cancer. The purpose is to prove that digital breast tomosynthesis has the potential to provide clinically important information, which cannot be obtained with conventional breast imaging methods. Three-dimensional digital breast tomosynthesis seeks to (1) determine whether a mammographic finding is the result of a 'real' lesion or the superimposition of normal parenchyma structures, (2) detect subtle changes in breast tissue, which might otherwise be missed, and (3) to reduce the number of biopsies performed as well as verify the correct biopsy target if the procedure is needed. This study presents digital breast tomosynthesis in diagnostic mammography by comparing digital breast tomosynthesis with screen-film and digital mammograms clinical performance, evaluates Tuned Aperture Computed Tomography capability as a 3D breast reconstruction algorithm in the limited angle tomosynthesis system, and demonstrates technical performance of a real-time amorphous-selenium flat-panel detector in full field digital breast tomosynthesis. The results indicate that breast tomosynthesis has the potential to significantly advance diagnostic mammography. Tomosynthesis of the breast will increase specificity. Study also suggests that tomosynthesis might facilitate the detection of cancers at an earlier stage and a smaller size than is possible in two-dimensional mammography [1]. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006.