Evaluation of the effect of geometry for measuring section thickness in tomosynthesis

Our aim in this study was to evaluate the effect of geometry for measuring section thickness in tomosynthesis by using a metal bead device (bead method). Tomosynthesis images were obtained from two types of tomosynthesis equipment, Safire17 (ST, Shimadzu, Kyoto, Japan) and XR650 (GT, GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI). After tomosynthesis radiography with each device, the bead tomosynthesis images were obtained by image reconstruction. The digital profile was obtained from the digital value of the bead central coordinate in the perpendicular direction, and we acquired the slice sensitivity profile (SSP). The section thickness was defined with the full width at half maximum obtained from the SSP. We investigated the change in section thickness under different evaluation conditions: the angular range, the height of the bead position, the source-image receptor distance (SID), and image processing. The section thickness decreased when the angular range and height of the bead position increased. Also, the section thickness varied with a change in the SID. The section thickness differed according to the geometry for measuring the section thickness. Thus, the effect of the geometry used for measurement should be considered when the section thickness in tomosynthesis is measured by the bead method.