Jabari Calliste1, Gongting Wu2, Philip E Laganis3, Derrek Spronk3, Houman Jafari3, Kyle Olson3, Bo Gao3, Yueh Z Lee4, Otto Zhou1,2,5, Jianping Lu2. 1. Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA. 2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 120 E. Cameron Avenue, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA. 3. XinRay Systems, Inc., Research Triangle Park, Morrisville, NC, 27709, USA. 4. Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, 27514, USA. 5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lineberger Cancer Center, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, 27514, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to characterize a new generation stationary digital breast tomosynthesis system with higher tube flux and increased angular span over a first generation system. METHODS: The linear CNT x-ray source was designed, built, and evaluated to determine its performance parameters. The second generation system was then constructed using the CNT x-ray source and a Hologic gantry. Upon construction, test objects and phantoms were used to characterize system resolution as measured by the modulation transfer function (MTF), and artifact spread function (ASF). RESULTS: The results indicated that the linear CNT x-ray source was capable of stable operation at a tube potential of 49 kVp, and measured focal spot sizes showed source-to-source consistency with a nominal focal spot size of 1.1 mm. After construction, the second generation (Gen 2) system exhibited entrance surface air kerma rates two times greater the previous s-DBT system. System in-plane resolution as measured by the MTF is 7.7 cycles/mm, compared to 6.7 cycles/mm for the Gen 1 system. As expected, an increase in the z-axis depth resolution was observed, with a decrease in the ASF from 4.30 mm to 2.35 mm moving from the Gen 1 system to the Gen 2 system as result of an increased angular span. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the Gen 2 stationary digital breast tomosynthesis system, which has a larger angular span, increased entrance surface air kerma, and faster image acquisition time over the Gen 1 s-DBT system, results in higher resolution images. With the detector operating at full resolution, the Gen 2 s-DBT system can achieve an in-plane resolution of 7.7 cycles per mm, which is better than the current commercial DBT systems today, and may potentially result in better patient diagnosis.
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to characterize a new generation stationary digital breast tomosynthesis system with higher tube flux and increased angular span over a first generation system. METHODS: The linear CNT x-ray source was designed, built, and evaluated to determine its performance parameters. The second generation system was then constructed using the CNT x-ray source and a Hologic gantry. Upon construction, test objects and phantoms were used to characterize system resolution as measured by the modulation transfer function (MTF), and artifact spread function (ASF). RESULTS: The results indicated that the linear CNT x-ray source was capable of stable operation at a tube potential of 49 kVp, and measured focal spot sizes showed source-to-source consistency with a nominal focal spot size of 1.1 mm. After construction, the second generation (Gen 2) system exhibited entrance surface air kerma rates two times greater the previous s-DBT system. System in-plane resolution as measured by the MTF is 7.7 cycles/mm, compared to 6.7 cycles/mm for the Gen 1 system. As expected, an increase in the z-axis depth resolution was observed, with a decrease in the ASF from 4.30 mm to 2.35 mm moving from the Gen 1 system to the Gen 2 system as result of an increased angular span. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the Gen 2 stationary digital breast tomosynthesis system, which has a larger angular span, increased entrance surface air kerma, and faster image acquisition time over the Gen 1 s-DBT system, results in higher resolution images. With the detector operating at full resolution, the Gen 2 s-DBT system can achieve an in-plane resolution of 7.7 cycles per mm, which is better than the current commercial DBT systems today, and may potentially result in better patient diagnosis.
Authors: Joao V Horvat; Delia M Keating; Halio Rodrigues-Duarte; Elizabeth A Morris; Victoria L Mango Journal: Radiographics Date: 2019-01-25 Impact factor: 5.333
Authors: Connor Puett; Jenny Gao; Andrew Tucker; Christina R Inscoe; Michael Hwang; Cherie M Kuzmiak; Jianping Lu; Otto Zhou; Yueh Z Lee Journal: Biomed Phys Eng Express Date: 2019-07-25