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X-ray phase-contrast tomosynthesis for improved breast tissue discrimination

Schleede S, Bech M, Grandl S, Sztrokay A, Herzen J, Mayr D, Stockmar M, Potdevin G, Zanette I, Rack A, Weitkamp T, Pfeiffer F (2014)

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Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2014

Journal

Book Volume: 83

Pages Range: 531-536

Journal Issue: 3

DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2013.12.005

Abstract

Purpose Attenuation-based tomosynthesis has proven to successfully resolve the glandular tissue overlap present in mammography. However, the ability of tomosynthesis to differentiate tumorous and glandular tissue remains limited, due to the small differences in X-ray attenuation in breast tissue. One possibility to overcome this limitation and to further increase the diagnostic value of tomosynthesis exams, is the application of recently developed grating-based phase-contrast methods, which provide complementary information on the phase shift and the local scattering power of the sample. In this study, we report on first phase-contrast breast tomosynthesis results of a mastectomy sample slice with an invasive ductal carcinoma. Material and methods A slice of a mastectomy sample with histologically proven invasive ductal cancer was imaged at the synchrotron radiation source ESRF (Grenoble, France). We used a two-grating interferometer setup at the ninth fractional Talbot distance and with an X-ray energy of 23 keV. In grating interferometry absorption, differential phase, and scattering images are recorded simultaneously. The tomosynthesis scan comprises 61 projections. Multimodal tomosynthesis results were reconstructed using a standard filtered back-projection approach. Our findings are supported by a comparison of tomographic views to histopathology. Results Phase-contrast tomosynthesis combines the advantage of improved soft-tissue discrimination in phase-contrast imaging with the ability of tomosynthesis to provide a third dimension so that improved feature visibility is not hampered by superposition artifacts. Our results indicate superior diagnostic value due to the depth resolution supplied in tomosynthesis imaging; a region of necrotic tissue that is obscured in a projection image can clearly be depicted in one single tomosynthesis slice. Compared to absorption tomosynthesis alone, soft tissue contrast is significantly enhanced in phase-contrast tomosynthesis views, where fibrous structures are clearly visible. Conclusion In this article we present the first proof-of-principle grating-based phase-contrast tomosynthesis of a mastectomy sample section. A comparison of conventional attenuation with phase-contrast and dark-field tomosynthesis indicates that complementary information from three signals yields an increase in diagnostic value, which is verified in a comparison of our results to histological sections of the sample. As grating-based phase-contrast mammography efficiently works with conventional lab sources, our benchmark results indicate the potential benefit of translating phase-contrast tomosynthesis into a clinical setting. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

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How to cite

APA:

Schleede, S., Bech, M., Grandl, S., Sztrokay, A., Herzen, J., Mayr, D.,... Pfeiffer, F. (2014). X-ray phase-contrast tomosynthesis for improved breast tissue discrimination. European Journal of Radiology, 83(3), 531-536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrad.2013.12.005

MLA:

Schleede, Simone, et al. "X-ray phase-contrast tomosynthesis for improved breast tissue discrimination." European Journal of Radiology 83.3 (2014): 531-536.

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