Modulation transfer function of digital breast tomosynthesis: a comparison of various edge devices

The modulation transfer function (MTF) is a fundamental tool for assessing the sharpness of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) systems and is primarily measured using edge devices. We compared the MTF of a Senographe Pristina DBT system using four-edge devices. These devices were composed of stainless steel with a thickness of 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 mm, and 1.0 mm tungsten, based on different international guidelines. We evaluated spatial frequencies at MTFs of 0.5 (MTF50%) and 0.1 (MTF10%). The collimator-equipped and non-collimator configurations of the DBT were compared. We found no appreciable differences between scan and chest wall-nipple directions. Both MTF50% (2.90-2.99 cycles/mm) and MTF10% (6.69-6.94 cycles/mm) demonstrated minimal variation across the different edge devices. The collimator-equipped system exhibited an MTF50% that was approximately 5% higher than that of the non-collimator configuration. The choice of the edge device did not appreciably impact the MTF.