EXPOSURE DOSE INDEX BASED ON NOISE FACTOR ANALYSIS IN DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY: VERIFICATION USING DIRECT-TYPE FLAT-PANEL...

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging Physics
• Radiological Sciences
• Diagnostic Imaging Technology

Background:

• Optimizing radiation dose in medical imaging is crucial for patient safety and image quality.
• Flat-panel detector systems are widely used in modern diagnostic imaging.
• Understanding noise characteristics is key to dose optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a practical index for optimizing exposure dose in direct-type flat-panel X-ray systems.
• To establish a quantitative measure for determining the minimum acceptable radiation dose.
• To analyze noise factors influencing image quality at different dose levels.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of image noise using the relative standard deviation method.
• Utilized a direct-type flat-panel X-ray system for experimental measurements.
• Investigated the contribution of different noise sources to the total noise.

Main Results:

• Poisson noise was identified as the dominant noise source, accounting for 90% of total noise in the studied system.
• A proposed index was developed and verified against minimum exposure dose standards.
• The study identified a lower dose limit below which image quality is compromised due to noise.

Conclusions:

• The developed index provides a measurable and quantitative method for dose determination and optimization in X-ray imaging.
• Minimizing Poisson noise is critical for achieving optimal dose levels in clinical settings.
• The findings support the establishment of evidence-based protocols for radiation dose management.