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Program Information

History, Theory and Operation of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Systems

Mitchell Goodsitt

M Goodsitt*, H Chan, Univ Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

SU-B-Salon BCD-2 Sunday 10:00:00 AM - 12:00:00 PM Room: Salon BCD

Tomosynthesis is a quasi-3D tomographic x-ray imaging method whereby a set of slices are reconstructed from a series of projection images acquired over a limited angle. Techniques using film as the detector were invented in the 1930's and application to the breast using digital detectors (digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT)) began in the 1990's. A wide variety of DBT systems presently exist, but only one system has been approved by the FDA for clinical use to date. The current DBT systems will be reviewed, emphasizing the major design and operational differences. Image quality in DBT depends upon many factors including the acquisition geometry (total tomographic angle and angle increments), the accuracy of the geometric parameters used in reconstruction, x-ray tube motion during the exposures, and the reconstruction method. These and other factors will be discussed. Several types of artifacts in reconstructed DBT images will also be described. Finally, new applications such as contrast enhanced DBT and dual-modality DBT will be examined.

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the basic theory of tomosynthesis image generation (the shift and add principle).
2. Understand the effects of different imaging geometries (e.g., narrow tomographic angle vs. wide tomographic angle) on the perception of masses, microcalcifications, and contrast-detail test objects in DBT images.
3. Understand the origins of common tomosynthesis artifacts.

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