Dedicated breast computed tomography: Basic aspects.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Radiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• X-ray mammography is the standard for breast cancer detection but has limitations, especially with dense breasts due to tissue superposition.
• Computed tomography (CT) systems for breast imaging (breast CT or BCT) have been developed since 2001 to address mammography's limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate research and development efforts in breast CT (BCT) technology.
• To focus on the technological and engineering aspects of BCT scanners.
• To outline the advantages and limitations of BCT as reported in the literature.

Main Methods:

• Review of research and development in dedicated breast CT scanners.
• Analysis of technological advancements and engineering improvements in BCT.
• Literature review of reported advantages and limitations of BCT systems.

Main Results:

• BCT technology, developed since the 1970s, allows overcoming mammography limitations like tissue superposition.
• BCT systems maintain radiation doses comparable to mammography for similar breast characteristics.
• Significant R&D efforts have occurred over the last decade, with initial commercialization steps.

Conclusions:

• Breast CT represents a promising advancement in breast cancer screening and diagnosis.
• Technological development has focused on dedicated scanners with state-of-the-art digital detector technology.
• Further research is needed to fully realize the potential of BCT technology.