The effect of averaging adjacent planes for artifact reduction in matrix inversion tomosynthesis

A prototype Multi-X-ray-source array (MXA) for digital breast tomosynthesis

The design and testing of a prototype Multi-X-ray-source Array (MXA) for digital breast tomosynthesis is reported. The MXA is comprised of an array of tungsten filament cathodes with focus cup grid-controlled modulation and a common rotating anode housed in a single vacuum envelope. Prototypes consisting of arrays of three-source elements and eleven-source-elements were fabricated and evaluated. The prototype sources demonstrated focal spot sizes of 0.3 mm at 45 kV with 50 mA. Measured x-ray spectra were consistent with the molybdenum anode employed, and the tube output (air kerma) was between 0.6 mGy/100 mAs at 20 kV and 17 mGy/100 mAs at 45 kV with a distance of 100 cm. HVL measurements ranged from 0.5 mm Al at 30 kV to 0.8 mm Al at 45 kV, and x-ray pulse widths were varied from 20 ms to 110 ms at operating frequencies ultimately to be limited by source turn-on/off times of ∼1 ms. Initial results of reconstructed tomographic data are presented.

A Novel Recurrent Neural Network-Based Ultra-Fast, Robust, and Scalable Solver for Inverting a "Time-Varying Matrix"

The concept presented in this paper is based on previous dynamical methods to realize a time-varying matrix inversion. It is essentially a set of coupled ordinary differential equations (ODEs) which does indeed constitute a recurrent neural network (RNN) model. The coupled ODEs constitute a universal modeling framework for realizing a matrix inversion provided the matrix is invertible. The proposed model does converge to the inverted matrix if the matrix is invertible, otherwise it converges to an approximated inverse. Although various methods exist to solve a matrix inversion in various areas of science and engineering, most of them do assume that either the time-varying matrix inversion is free of noise or they involve a denoising module before starting the matrix inversion computation. However, in the practice, the noise presence issue is a very serious problem. Also, the denoising process is computationally expensive and can lead to a violation of the real-time property of the system. Hence, the search for a new 'matrix inversion' solving method inherently integrating noise-cancelling is highly demanded. In this paper, a new combined/extended method for time-varying matrix inversion is proposed and investigated. The proposed method is extending both the gradient neural network (GNN) and the Zhang neural network (ZNN) concepts. Our new model has proven that it has exponential stability according to Lyapunov theory. Furthermore, when compared to the other previous related methods (namely GNN, ZNN, Chen neural network, and integration-enhanced Zhang neural network or IEZNN) it has a much better theoretical convergence speed. To finish, all named models (the new one versus the old ones) are compared through practical examples and both their respective convergence and error rates are measured. It is shown/observed that the novel/proposed method has a better practical convergence rate when compared to the other models. Regarding the amount of noise, it is proven that there is a very good approximation of the matrix inverse even in the presence of noise.

Studies of a prototype linear stationary x-ray source for tomosynthesis imaging

A prototype linear x-ray source to implement stationary source-stationary detector tomosynthesis (TS) imaging has been studied. Potential applications include human breast and small animal imaging. The source is comprised of ten x-ray source elements each consisting of a field emission cathode, electrostatic lens, and target. The electrostatic lens and target are common to all elements. The source elements form x-ray focal spots with minimum diameters of 0.3-0.4 mm at electron beam currents of up to 40 mA with a beam voltage of 40 kV. The x-ray flux versus time was quantified from each source. X-ray bremsstrahlung spectra from tungsten targets were produced using electron beam energies from 35 to 50 keV. The half-value layer was measured to be 0.8, 0.9, and 1.0 mm, respectively, for the 35, 40, and 45 kV tube potentials using the tungsten target. The suppression of voltage breakdown events, particularly during source operation, and the use of a modified form of the standard cold-cathode geometry, enhanced source reliability. The prototype linear source was used to collect tomographic data sets of a mouse phantom using digital TS reconstruction methods and demonstrated a slice-sensitivity profile with a full-width-half-maximum of 1.3 mm. Lastly, preliminary studies of tomographic imaging of flow through the mouse phantom were performed.