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Pautasso JJ, Michielsen K, Sechopoulos I. Technical note: Characterization, validation, and spectral optimization of a dedicated breast CT system for contrast-enhanced imaging. Med Phys 2024; 51:3322-3333. [PMID: 38597897 DOI: 10.1002/mp.17069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of a new imaging modality, such as 4D dynamic contrast-enhanced dedicated breast CT (4D DCE-bCT), requires optimization of the acquisition technique, particularly within the 2D contrast-enhanced imaging modality. Given the extensive parameter space, cascade-systems analysis is commonly used for such optimization. PURPOSE To implement and validate a parallel-cascaded model for bCT, focusing on optimizing and characterizing system performance in the projection domain to enhance the quality of input data for image reconstruction. METHODS A parallel-cascaded system model of a state-of-the-art bCT system was developed and model predictions of the presampled modulation transfer function (MTF) and the normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) were compared with empirical data collected in the projection domain. Validation was performed using the default settings of 49 kV with 1.5 mm aluminum filter and at 65 kV and 0.257 mm copper filter. A 10 mm aluminum plate was added to replicate the breast attenuation. Air kerma at the isocenter was measured at different tube current levels. Discrepancies between the measured projection domain metrics and model-predicted values were quantified using percentage error and coefficient of variation (CoV) for MTF and NNPS, respectively. The optimal filtration was for a 5 mm iodine disk detection task at 49, 55, 60, and 65 kV. The detectability index was calculated for the default aluminum filtration and for copper thicknesses ranging from 0.05 to 0.4 mm. RESULTS At 49 kV, MTF errors were +5.1% and -5.1% at 1 and 2 cycles/mm, respectively; NNPS CoV was 5.3% (min = 3.7%; max = 8.5%). At 65 kV, MTF errors were -0.8% and -3.2%; NNPS CoV was 13.1% (min = 11.4%; max = 16.9%). Air kerma output was linear, with 11.67 µGy/mA (R2 = 0.993) and 19.14 µGy/mA (R2 = 0.996) at 49 and 65 kV, respectively. For iodine detection, a 0.25 mm-thick copper filter at 65 kV was found optimal, outperforming the default technique by 90%. CONCLUSION The model accurately predicts bCT system performance, specifically in the projection domain, under varied imaging conditions, potentially contributing to the enhancement of 2D contrast-enhanced imaging in 4D DCE-bCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Pautasso
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Koen Michielsen
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ioannis Sechopoulos
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Dutch Expert Centre for Screening (LRCB), Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
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Deng Y, Zhou H, Wang Z, Wang AS, Gao H. Multi-energy blended CBCT spectral imaging and scatter-decoupled material decomposition using a spectral modulator with flying focal spot (SMFFS). Med Phys 2024; 51:2398-2412. [PMID: 38477717 DOI: 10.1002/mp.17022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cone-beam CT (CBCT) has been extensively employed in industrial and medical applications, such as image-guided radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging, with a growing demand for quantitative imaging using CBCT. However, conventional CBCT can be easily compromised by scatter and beam hardening artifacts, and the entanglement of scatter and spectral effects introduces additional complexity. PURPOSE The intertwined scatter and spectral effects within CBCT pose significant challenges to the quantitative performance of spectral imaging. In this work, we present the first attempt to develop a stationary spectral modulator with flying focal spot (SMFFS) technology as a promising, low-cost approach to accurately solving the x-ray scattering problem and physically enabling spectral imaging in a unified framework, and with no significant misalignment in data sampling of spectral projections. METHODS To deal with the intertwined scatter-spectral challenge, we propose a novel scatter-decoupled material decomposition (SDMD) method for SMFFS, which consists of four steps in total, including (1) spatial resolution-preserved and noise-suppressed multi-energy "residual" projection generation free from scatter, based on a hypothesis of scatter similarity; (2) first-pass material decomposition from the generated multi-energy residual projections in non-penumbra regions, with a structure similarity constraint to overcome the increased noise and penumbra effect; (3) scatter estimation for complete data; and (4) second-pass material decomposition for complete data by using a multi-material spectral correction method. Monte Carlo simulations of a pure-water cylinder phantom with different focal spot deflections are conducted to validate the scatter similarity hypothesis. Both numerical simulations using a clinical abdominal CT dataset, and physics experiments on a tabletop CBCT system using a Gammex multi-energy CT phantom and an anthropomorphic chest phantom, are carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of CBCT spectral imaging with SMFFS and our proposed SDMD method. RESULTS Monte Carlo simulations show that focal spot deflections within a range of 2 mm share quite similar scatter distributions overall. Numerical simulations demonstrate that SMFFS with SDMD method can achieve better material decomposition and CT number accuracy with fewer artifacts. In physics experiments, for the Gammex phantom, the average error of the mean values (E RMSE ROI $E^{\text{ROI}}_{\text{RMSE}}$ ) in selected regions of interest (ROIs) of virtual monochromatic image (VMI) at 70 keV is 8 HU in SMFFS cone-beam (CB) scan, and 19 and 210 HU in sequential 80/120 kVp (dual kVp, DKV) CB scan with and without scatter correction, respectively. For the chest phantom, theE RMSE ROI $E^{\text{ROI}}_{\text{RMSE}}$ in selected ROIs of VMIs is 12 HU for SMFFS CB scan, and 15 and 438 HU for sequential 80/140 kVp CB scan with and without scatter correction, respectively. Also, the non-uniformity among selected regions of the chest phantom is 14 HU for SMFFS CB scan, and 59 and 184 HU for the DKV CB scan with and without a traditional scatter correction method, respectively. CONCLUSIONS We propose a SDMD method for CBCT with SMFFS. Our preliminary results show that SMFFS can enable spectral imaging with simultaneous scatter correction for CBCT and effectively improve its quantitative imaging performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Deng
- Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Particle & Radiation Imaging, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Zhou
- Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Particle & Radiation Imaging, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhilei Wang
- Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Particle & Radiation Imaging, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Adam S Wang
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Hewei Gao
- Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Particle & Radiation Imaging, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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Khaledyan D, Marini TJ, M. Baran T, O’Connell A, Parker K. Enhancing breast ultrasound segmentation through fine-tuning and optimization techniques: Sharp attention UNet. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289195. [PMID: 38091358 PMCID: PMC10718429 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Segmentation of breast ultrasound images is a crucial and challenging task in computer-aided diagnosis systems. Accurately segmenting masses in benign and malignant cases and identifying regions with no mass is a primary objective in breast ultrasound image segmentation. Deep learning (DL) has emerged as a powerful tool in medical image segmentation, revolutionizing how medical professionals analyze and interpret complex imaging data. The UNet architecture is a highly regarded and widely used DL model in medical image segmentation. Its distinctive architectural design and exceptional performance have made it popular among researchers. With the increase in data and model complexity, optimization and fine-tuning models play a vital and more challenging role than before. This paper presents a comparative study evaluating the effect of image preprocessing and different optimization techniques and the importance of fine-tuning different UNet segmentation models for breast ultrasound images. Optimization and fine-tuning techniques have been applied to enhance the performance of UNet, Sharp UNet, and Attention UNet. Building upon this progress, we designed a novel approach by combining Sharp UNet and Attention UNet, known as Sharp Attention UNet. Our analysis yielded the following quantitative evaluation metrics for the Sharp Attention UNet: the Dice coefficient, specificity, sensitivity, and F1 score values obtained were 0.93, 0.99, 0.94, and 0.94, respectively. In addition, McNemar's statistical test was applied to assess significant differences between the approaches. Across a number of measures, our proposed model outperformed all other models, resulting in improved breast lesion segmentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donya Khaledyan
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Thomas J. Marini
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Timothy M. Baran
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Avice O’Connell
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - Kevin Parker
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States of America
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States of America
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Zhu Y, Ma Y, Zhang Y, Liu A, Wang Y, Zhao M, Li H, He N, Wu Y, Ye Z. Radiomics nomogram for predicting axillary lymph node metastasis-a potential method to address the limitation of axilla coverage in cone-beam breast CT: a bi-center retrospective study. LA RADIOLOGIA MEDICA 2023; 128:1472-1482. [PMID: 37857980 DOI: 10.1007/s11547-023-01731-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cone-beam breast CT (CBBCT) has an inherent limitation that the axilla cannot be imaged in its entirety. We aimed to develop and validate a nomogram based on clinical factors and contrast-enhanced (CE) CBBCT radiomics features to predict axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis and complement limited axilla coverage. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study included 312 patients with breast cancer from two hospitals who underwent CE-CBBCT examination in a clinical trial (NCT01792999) during 2012-2020. Patients from TCIH comprised training set (n = 176) and validation set (n = 43), and patients from SYSUCC comprised external test set (n = 93). 3D ROIs were delineated manually and radiomics features were extracted by 3D Slicer software. RadScore was calculated and radiomics model was constructed after feature selection. Clinical model was built on independent predictors. Nomogram was developed with independent clinical predictors and RadScore. Diagnostic performance was compared among three models by ROC curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the clinical utility of nomogram. RESULTS A total of 139 patients were ALN positive and 173 patients were negative. Twelve radiomics features remained after feature selection. Location and focality were selected as independent predictors for ALN status. The AUC of nomogram in external test set was higher than that of clinical model (0.80 vs. 0.66, p = 0.012). DCA demonstrated that the nomogram had higher overall net benefit than that of clinical model. CONCLUSION The nomogram combined CE-CBBCT-based radiomics features and clinical factors could have potential in distinguishing ALN positive from negative and addressing the limitation of axilla coverage in CBBCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueqiang Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen, 6500 HB, The Netherlands
| | - Yue Ma
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Aidi Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Yafei Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Mengran Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Haijie Li
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Ni He
- Department of Medical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Dong-Feng-Dong Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yaopan Wu
- Department of Medical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Dong-Feng-Dong Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Zhaoxiang Ye
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital; National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, 300060, China.
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Gong W, Zhu J, Hong C, Liu X, Li S, Chen Y, Zhang B, Li X. Diagnostic accuracy of cone-beam breast computed tomography and head-to-head comparison of digital mammography, magnetic resonance imaging and cone-beam breast computed tomography for breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Gland Surg 2023; 12:1360-1374. [PMID: 38021193 PMCID: PMC10660175 DOI: 10.21037/gs-23-153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Background Cone-beam breast computed tomography (CBBCT) is a new breast imaging technique, however, CBBCT is not yet widely used, and its future application will depend on its diagnostic potential and application value. Therefore, it is of great clinical significance to systematically review and analyze the diagnostic accuracy of CBBCT for breast cancer detection in existing studies and compare it with other traditional imaging methods for the diagnosis of breast lesions. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Chinese databases until August 2022 for relevant papers. Studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of CBBCT in women with suspected breast cancer were included. Each study's quality was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Performance Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) instrument. Results Eighteen studies with a total of 1,792 patients were included in the analysis. The overall pooled sensitivity and specificity of CBBCT in diagnosing breast cancer were 0.95 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.91-0.97] and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.62-0.80), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) for CBBCT was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.90-0.94). In a head-to-head comparison of CBBCT and digital mammography (DM), eight trials with 992 patients were included in the study, and the AUCs for CBBCT and DM were 0.94 (95% CI: 0.92-0.96) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.80-0.83), respectively. In a head-to-head comparison of CBBCT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), four trials with 203 patients were included in the analysis; the AUC for CBBCT and MRI were 0.88 (95% CI: 0.85-0.91) and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.94-0.97), respectively. Conclusions This meta-analysis of CBBCT test accuracy indicated encouraging diagnostic performance. In the summary of head-to-head comparative studies, there is a tendency for CBBCT to have greater diagnostic accuracy than DM, although its diagnostic performance is marginally inferior to that of MRI. However, the meta-analysis results were derived from studies with limited sample sizes. There is a need for more extensive research in this setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenye Gong
- Department of General Surgery, the First Medical Center of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jingjin Zhu
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Chenyan Hong
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Xiaohan Liu
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shuaiqi Li
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yizhu Chen
- Department of General Surgery, the First Medical Center of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Boya Zhang
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiru Li
- Department of General Surgery, the First Medical Center of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
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Khaledyan D, Marini TJ, O’Connell A, Parker K. Enhancing Breast Ultrasound Segmentation through Fine-tuning and Optimization Techniques: Sharp Attention UNet. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.14.549040. [PMID: 37503223 PMCID: PMC10370074 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.14.549040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Segmentation of breast ultrasound images is a crucial and challenging task in computer-aided diagnosis systems. Accurately segmenting masses in benign and malignant cases and identifying regions with no mass is a primary objective in breast ultrasound image segmentation. Deep learning (DL) has emerged as a powerful tool in medical image segmentation, revolutionizing how medical professionals analyze and interpret complex imaging data. The UNet architecture is a highly regarded and widely used DL model in medical image segmentation. Its distinctive architectural design and exceptional performance have made it a popular choice among researchers in the medical image segmentation field. With the increase in data and model complexity, optimization and fine-tuning models play a vital and more challenging role than before. This paper presents a comparative study evaluating the effect of image preprocessing and different optimization techniques and the importance of fine-tuning different UNet segmentation models for breast ultrasound images. Optimization and fine-tuning techniques have been applied to enhance the performance of UNet, Sharp UNet, and Attention UNet. Building upon this progress, we designed a novel approach by combining Sharp UNet and Attention UNet, known as Sharp Attention UNet. Our analysis yielded the following quantitative evaluation metrics for the Sharp Attention UNet: the dice coefficient, specificity, sensitivity, and F1 score obtained values of 0.9283, 0.9936, 0.9426, and 0.9412, respectively. In addition, McNemar's statistical test was applied to assess significant differences between the approaches. Across a number of measures, our proposed model outperforms the earlier designed models and points towards improved breast lesion segmentation algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donya Khaledyan
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Thomas J. Marini
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Avice O’Connell
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Kevin Parker
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
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Liu A, Ma Y, Yin L, Zhu Y, Lu H, Li H, Ye Z. Comparison of malignant calcification identification between breast cone-beam computed tomography and digital mammography. Acta Radiol 2023; 64:962-970. [PMID: 35815702 DOI: 10.1177/02841851221112562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Calcifications are important abnormal findings in breast imaging and help in the diagnosis of breast cancer. PURPOSE To compare breast cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) with digital mammography (DM) in terms of the ability to identify malignant calcifications. MATERIAL AND METHODS In total, 115 paired examinations were performed utilizing breast CBCT and DM; 86 pathology-proven malignant lesions with calcifications detected on DM and 29 randomly selected breasts without calcifications were reviewed by three radiologists. The ability to detect calcifications was assessed on CBCT images. The characterization agreement of two imaging modalities was evaluated by the kappa coefficient. For breast CBCT images, the parameters for the display of calcifications were recorded. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the preferred slice thickness chosen by each of the three radiologists. The degree of calcification clarity was compared between two modalities using the Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS The combined sensitivity and specificity of three radiologists in 85 DM-detected calcifications detection on breast CBCT images were 98.43% (251/255) and 98.85% (86/87), respectively. CBCT images showed substantial agreement with mammograms in terms of the characterization of calcifications morphology (k = 0.703; P < 0.05) and distribution (k = 0.629; P < 0.05). CBCT images with a slice thickness of 0.273 mm and three-dimensional maximum-intensity projection (3D-MIP) were more beneficial for calcifications identification. No statistically significant difference was found between standard DM views and CBCT images for three radiologists on calcification display clarity. CONCLUSION CBCT images were comparable to mammograms in calcification identification and may be sufficient for malignant calcifications detection and characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidi Liu
- Department of Radiology, 74675Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Yue Ma
- Department of Radiology, 74675Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Lu Yin
- Department of Radiology, 74675Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Yueqiang Zhu
- Department of Radiology, 74675Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Hong Lu
- Department of Radiology, 74675Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Haijie Li
- Department of Radiology, 74675Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, PR China
| | - Zhaoxiang Ye
- Department of Radiology, 74675Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin; Huan-Hu-Xi Road, Ti-Yuan-Bei, Hexi District, Tianjin, PR China
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Marini TJ, Castaneda B, Parker K, Baran TM, Romero S, Iyer R, Zhao YT, Hah Z, Park MH, Brennan G, Kan J, Meng S, Dozier A, O’Connell A. No sonographer, no radiologist: Assessing accuracy of artificial intelligence on breast ultrasound volume sweep imaging scans. PLOS DIGITAL HEALTH 2022; 1:e0000148. [PMID: 36812553 PMCID: PMC9931251 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Breast ultrasound provides a first-line evaluation for breast masses, but the majority of the world lacks access to any form of diagnostic imaging. In this pilot study, we assessed the combination of artificial intelligence (Samsung S-Detect for Breast) with volume sweep imaging (VSI) ultrasound scans to evaluate the possibility of inexpensive, fully automated breast ultrasound acquisition and preliminary interpretation without an experienced sonographer or radiologist. This study was conducted using examinations from a curated data set from a previously published clinical study of breast VSI. Examinations in this data set were obtained by medical students without prior ultrasound experience who performed VSI using a portable Butterfly iQ ultrasound probe. Standard of care ultrasound exams were performed concurrently by an experienced sonographer using a high-end ultrasound machine. Expert-selected VSI images and standard of care images were input into S-Detect which output mass features and classification as "possibly benign" and "possibly malignant." Subsequent comparison of the S-Detect VSI report was made between 1) the standard of care ultrasound report by an expert radiologist, 2) the standard of care ultrasound S-Detect report, 3) the VSI report by an expert radiologist, and 4) the pathological diagnosis. There were 115 masses analyzed by S-Detect from the curated data set. There was substantial agreement of the S-Detect interpretation of VSI among cancers, cysts, fibroadenomas, and lipomas to the expert standard of care ultrasound report (Cohen's κ = 0.73 (0.57-0.9 95% CI), p<0.0001), the standard of care ultrasound S-Detect interpretation (Cohen's κ = 0.79 (0.65-0.94 95% CI), p<0.0001), the expert VSI ultrasound report (Cohen's κ = 0.73 (0.57-0.9 95% CI), p<0.0001), and the pathological diagnosis (Cohen's κ = 0.80 (0.64-0.95 95% CI), p<0.0001). All pathologically proven cancers (n = 20) were designated as "possibly malignant" by S-Detect with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 86%. Integration of artificial intelligence and VSI could allow both acquisition and interpretation of ultrasound images without a sonographer and radiologist. This approach holds potential for increasing access to ultrasound imaging and therefore improving outcomes related to breast cancer in low- and middle- income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Marini
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Benjamin Castaneda
- Departamento de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Peru
| | - Kevin Parker
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Timothy M. Baran
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Stefano Romero
- Departamento de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Peru
| | - Radha Iyer
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Yu T. Zhao
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Zaegyoo Hah
- Samsung Medison Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Moon Ho Park
- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Galen Brennan
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Jonah Kan
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Steven Meng
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Ann Dozier
- Department of Public Health, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Avice O’Connell
- Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
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9
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Neubauer C, Yilmaz JS, Bronsert P, Pichotka M, Bamberg F, Windfuhr-Blum M, Erbes T, Neubauer J. Accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography, digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis for microcalcifications and margins to microcalcifications in breast specimens. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17639. [PMID: 36271228 PMCID: PMC9587219 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21616-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurate determination of resection margins in breast specimens is important as complete removal of malignancy is a prerequisite for patients' outcome. Mammography (DM) as 2D-technique provides only limited value in margin assessment. Therefore, we investigated whether cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) or digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) has incremental value in assessing margins to microcalcifications. Three independent readers investigated breast specimens for presence of microcalcifications and the smallest distance to margins. Histopathology served as gold standard. Microcalcifications were detected in 15 out of 21 included specimens (71%). Pooled sensitivity for DM, DBT and CBCT for microcalcifications compared to preoperative DM was 0.98 (CI 0.94-0.99), 0.83 (CI 0.73-0.94) and 0.94 (CI 0.87-0.99), pooled specificity was 0.99 (CI 0.99-0.99), 0.73 (CI 0.51-0.96) and 0.60 (CI 0.35-0.85). Mean measurement error for margin determination for DM, DBT and CBCT was 10 mm, 14 mm and 6 mm (p = 0.002) with significant difference between CBCT and the other devices (p < 0.03). Mean reading time required by the readers to analyze DM, DBT and CBCT, was 36, 43 and 54 s (p < 0.001). Although DM allows reliable detection of microcalcifications, measurement of resection margin was significantly more accurate with CBCT. Thus, a combination of methods or improved CBCT might provide a more accurate determination of disease-free margins in breast specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Neubauer
- grid.5963.9Department of Radiology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Jannina Samantha Yilmaz
- grid.5963.9Department of Radiology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Peter Bronsert
- grid.5963.9Institute for Surgical Pathology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany ,grid.5963.9Tumorbank Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany ,grid.5963.9Core Facility for Histopathology and Digital Pathology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Martin Pichotka
- grid.5963.9Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Fabian Bamberg
- grid.5963.9Department of Radiology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Marisa Windfuhr-Blum
- grid.5963.9Department of Radiology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Thalia Erbes
- grid.5963.9Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Jakob Neubauer
- grid.5963.9Department of Radiology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
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10
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Di Maria S, Vedantham S, Vaz P. Breast dosimetry in alternative X-ray-based imaging modalities used in current clinical practices. Eur J Radiol 2022; 155:110509. [PMID: 36087425 PMCID: PMC9851082 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2022.110509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
In X-ray breast imaging, Digital Mammography (DM) and Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT), are the standard and largely used techniques, both for diagnostic and screening purposes. Other techniques, such as dedicated Breast Computed Tomography (BCT) and Contrast Enhanced Mammography (CEM) have been developed as an alternative or a complementary technique to the established ones. The performance of these imaging techniques is being continuously assessed to improve the image quality and to reduce the radiation dose. These imaging modalities are predominantly used in the diagnostic setting to resolve incomplete or indeterminate findings detected with conventional screening examinations and could potentially be used either as an adjunct or as a primary screening tool in select populations, such as for women with dense breasts. The aim of this review is to describe the radiation dosimetry for these imaging techniques, and to compare the mean glandular dose with standard breast imaging modalities, such as DM and DBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Di Maria
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, Estrada Nacional 10, km 139,7, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal.
| | - S Vedantham
- Department of Medical Imaging, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - P Vaz
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, Estrada Nacional 10, km 139,7, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal
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11
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Assessment of Cone-Beam Breast Computed Tomography for Predicting Pathologic Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer: A Prospective Study. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:9321763. [PMID: 35528237 PMCID: PMC9076291 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9321763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Response surveillance of neoadjuvant chemotherapy is needed to facilitate treatment decisions. We aimed to assess the imaging features of cone-beam breast computed tomography (CBBCT) for predicting the pathologic response of breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Methods This prospective study included 81 women with locally advanced breast cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy from August 2017 to January 2021. All patients underwent CBBCT before treatment, and 55 and 65 patients underwent CT examinations during the midtreatment (3 cycles) and late-treatment phases (7 cycles), respectively. Clinical information and quantitative parameters such as the diameter, volume, surface area, and CT density were compared between pathologic responders and nonresponders using the T–test and the Mann–Whitney U test. The performance of meaningful parameters was evaluated with the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, and specificity. Results The quantitative results for the segmented volume, segmented surface area, segmented volume reduction, maximum enhancement ratio, wash-in rate and two-minute enhancement value in the mid- and late-treatment periods had predictive value for pathologic complete response. The area under the curve for the prediction model after multivariate regression analysis was 0.874. Conclusion After comparing the outcomes of each timepoint, mid- and late-treatment parameters can be used to predict pathologic outcome. The late-treatment parameters showed significant value with a predictive model.
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