Sci-Fri AM: Imaging - 05: Cone-beam computed tomography for breast biopsy analysis: Simulations.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Radiology
• Biopsy Analysis

Background:

• Accurate characterization of breast biopsies is crucial for diagnosis.
• Digital specimen radiography systems are used for evaluating biopsy specimens.
• Cone beam CT (CBCT) offers advanced imaging capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of using CBCT for breast biopsy analysis.
• To determine the minimum imaging parameters required for detecting microcalcifications and small lesions.

Main Methods:

• Simulated CBCT imaging using an MX-20 digital specimen radiography system setup.
• Utilized a phantom with embedded cancerous spheres (5-500 μm) in a fibrous/fatty tissue mixture.
• Reconstructed images with varying numbers of projections (50-300) and calculated contrast and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

Main Results:

• Spheres of 50 μm were detectable with ≥150 projections; 100 μm spheres were visible with ≥100 projections.
• SNR increased with the number of projections, while contrast remained stable.
• SNRs for 100 μm spheres exceeded 5 with ≥100 projections, indicating potential detectability.

Conclusions:

• CBCT shows promise for characterizing breast biopsies, potentially detecting structures around 100 μm.
• The MX-20 system with CBCT may enhance the analysis of cancerous lesions within biopsy samples.
• Further studies are warranted to validate these simulation findings in clinical practice.