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Evaluating an image restoration pipeline for digital mammography across varied radiation exposures and microcalcification sizes using model observer analysis

Brandão, Renann F. ; Soares, Lucas E. ; Borges, Lucas R. ; Bakic, Predrag R. LU ; Tingberg, Anders LU orcid and Vieira, Marcelo A.C. (2024) 17th International Workshop on Breast Imaging, IWBI 2024 In Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering 13174.
Abstract

In this study, we assess the impact of an image restoration pipeline, designed for digital mammography, on the detectability of microcalcifications of different sizes across varied radiation exposures. The restoration pipeline first removes the noise of the image considering a Poisson-Gaussian noise model that incorporates quantum and electronic noise. Then, it appropriately merges the noisy and denoised images to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) comparable to an image obtained at a higher radiation dose. We created a database of mammographic images acquired at radiation doses between 50% and 200% of the automatic exposure control (AEC) using a physical anthropomorphic breast phantom. Clustered microcalcifications with diameters... (More)

In this study, we assess the impact of an image restoration pipeline, designed for digital mammography, on the detectability of microcalcifications of different sizes across varied radiation exposures. The restoration pipeline first removes the noise of the image considering a Poisson-Gaussian noise model that incorporates quantum and electronic noise. Then, it appropriately merges the noisy and denoised images to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) comparable to an image obtained at a higher radiation dose. We created a database of mammographic images acquired at radiation doses between 50% and 200% of the automatic exposure control (AEC) using a physical anthropomorphic breast phantom. Clustered microcalcifications with diameters ranging from 190 μm to 390 μm were artificially inserted into the phantom images in regions with increased density. The Channelized Hotelling Observer (CHO) was employed as the model observer (MO) to evaluate the detectability of microcalcifications. A pilot study was conducted to adjust the percentage of correct detection to approximately 75% for microcalcifications with a diameter of 270 μm at the AEC dose. We applied the restoration pipeline to the image dataset and calculated the percentage of correctly detected signals (PC) using the MO in a four-alternative forced choice (4-AFC) study. The results indicated a PC enhancement of up to 10% when applying restoration to simulate acquisitions with twice the AEC dose. Additionally, for images acquired with radiation doses below the AEC, our results demonstrated a potential dose reduction of up to 22.4% without compromising microcalcification detectability. The detection of microcalcifications with a diameter of 390 μm remained unaffected by variations in radiation dose.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
clustered microcalcifications, Digital mammography, image denoising, image restoration, model observer
host publication
17th International Workshop on Breast Imaging, IWBI 2024
series title
Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
editor
Giger, Maryellen L. ; Whitney, Heather M. ; Drukker, Karen and Li, Hui
volume
13174
article number
1317412
publisher
SPIE
conference name
17th International Workshop on Breast Imaging, IWBI 2024
conference location
Chicago, United States
conference dates
2024-06-09 - 2024-06-12
external identifiers
  • scopus:85195427076
ISSN
1996-756X
0277-786X
ISBN
9781510680203
DOI
10.1117/12.3026930
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
15d29b93-0d8b-4db0-8fab-f2181dcdac35
date added to LUP
2024-09-16 10:49:01
date last changed
2024-09-16 14:00:52
@inproceedings{15d29b93-0d8b-4db0-8fab-f2181dcdac35,
  abstract     = {{<p>In this study, we assess the impact of an image restoration pipeline, designed for digital mammography, on the detectability of microcalcifications of different sizes across varied radiation exposures. The restoration pipeline first removes the noise of the image considering a Poisson-Gaussian noise model that incorporates quantum and electronic noise. Then, it appropriately merges the noisy and denoised images to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) comparable to an image obtained at a higher radiation dose. We created a database of mammographic images acquired at radiation doses between 50% and 200% of the automatic exposure control (AEC) using a physical anthropomorphic breast phantom. Clustered microcalcifications with diameters ranging from 190 μm to 390 μm were artificially inserted into the phantom images in regions with increased density. The Channelized Hotelling Observer (CHO) was employed as the model observer (MO) to evaluate the detectability of microcalcifications. A pilot study was conducted to adjust the percentage of correct detection to approximately 75% for microcalcifications with a diameter of 270 μm at the AEC dose. We applied the restoration pipeline to the image dataset and calculated the percentage of correctly detected signals (PC) using the MO in a four-alternative forced choice (4-AFC) study. The results indicated a PC enhancement of up to 10% when applying restoration to simulate acquisitions with twice the AEC dose. Additionally, for images acquired with radiation doses below the AEC, our results demonstrated a potential dose reduction of up to 22.4% without compromising microcalcification detectability. The detection of microcalcifications with a diameter of 390 μm remained unaffected by variations in radiation dose.</p>}},
  author       = {{Brandão, Renann F. and Soares, Lucas E. and Borges, Lucas R. and Bakic, Predrag R. and Tingberg, Anders and Vieira, Marcelo A.C.}},
  booktitle    = {{17th International Workshop on Breast Imaging, IWBI 2024}},
  editor       = {{Giger, Maryellen L. and Whitney, Heather M. and Drukker, Karen and Li, Hui}},
  isbn         = {{9781510680203}},
  issn         = {{1996-756X}},
  keywords     = {{clustered microcalcifications; Digital mammography; image denoising; image restoration; model observer}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{SPIE}},
  series       = {{Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering}},
  title        = {{Evaluating an image restoration pipeline for digital mammography across varied radiation exposures and microcalcification sizes using model observer analysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.3026930}},
  doi          = {{10.1117/12.3026930}},
  volume       = {{13174}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}