Geomatics for precise 3D breast imaging

Canadian women have a one in nine chance of developing breast cancer during their lifetime. Mammography is the most common imaging technology used for breast cancer detection in its earliest stages through screening programs. Clusters of microcalcifications are primary indicators of breast cancer; the shape, size and number may be used to determine whether they are malignant or benign. However, overlapping images of calcifications on a mammogram hinder the classification of the shape and size of each calcification and a misdiagnosis may occur resulting in either an unnecessary biopsy being performed or a necessary biopsy not being performed. The introduction of 3D imaging techniques such as standard photogrammetry may increase the confidence of the radiologist when making his/her diagnosis. In this paper, traditional analytical photogrammetric techniques for the 3D mathematical reconstruction of microcalcifications are presented. The techniques are applied to a specially designed and constructed x-ray transparent Plexiglas phantom (control object). The phantom was embedded with 1.0 mm x-ray opaque lead pellets configured to represent overlapping microcalcifications. Control points on the phantom were determined by standard survey methods and hand measurements. X-ray films were obtained using a LORAD M-III mammography machine. The photogrammetric techniques of relative and absolute orientation were applied to the 2D mammographic films to analytically generate a 3D depth map with an overall accuracy of 0.6 mm. A Bundle Adjustment and the Direct Linear Transform were used to confirm the results.