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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Method for Simulating Dose Reduction in Digital Breast Tomosynthesis

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Author(s):
Borges, Lucas R. [1] ; Guerrero, Igor [1] ; Bakic, Predrag R. [2] ; Foi, Alessandro [3] ; Maidment, Andrew D. A. [2] ; Vieira, Marcelo A. C. [1]
Total Authors: 6
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, BR-13566590 Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Univ Penn, Philadelphia, PA 19104 - USA
[3] Tampere Univ Technol, Tampere 33720 - Finland
Total Affiliations: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MEDICAL IMAGING; v. 36, n. 11, p. 2331-2342, NOV 2017.
Web of Science Citations: 7
Abstract

This paper proposes a new method of simulating dose reduction in digital breast tomosynthesis, starting from a clinical image acquired with a standard radiation dose. It considers both signal-dependent quantum and signal-independent electronic noise. Furthermore, the method accounts for pixel crosstalk, which causes the noise to be frequency-dependent, thus increasing the simulation accuracy. For an objective assessment, simulated and real images were compared in terms of noise standard deviation, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS). A two-alternative forced-choice (2-AFC) study investigated the similarity between the noise strength of low-dose simulated and real images. Six experienced medical physics specialists participated on the study, with a total of 2 160 readings. Objective assessment showed no relevant trends with the simulated noise. The relative error in the standard deviation of the simulated noise was less than 2% for every projection angle. The relative error of the SNR was less than 1.5%, and the NNPS of the simulated images had errors less than 2.5%. The 2-AFC human observer experiment yielded no statistically significant difference (p=0.84) in the perceived noise strength between simulated and real images. Furthermore, the observer study also allowed the estimation of a dose difference at which the observer perceived a just-noticeable difference (JND) in noise levels. The estimated JND value indicated that a change of 17% in the current-time product was sufficient to cause a noticeable difference in noise levels. The observed high accuracy, along with the flexible calibration, make this method an attractive tool for clinical image-based simulations of dose reduction. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 16/25750-0 - Method for Simulating Dose Reduction in Digital Breast Tomosynthesis
Grantee:Marcelo Andrade da Costa Vieira
Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants