Statistical Method in Digital Breast Tomosynthesis

Several test objects containing details of varying diameter and contrast have been adopted in a variety of QC protocols in order to assess this capability of mammo-graphic systems. 

One widely adopted phantom is the CDMAM phantom ver. 3.4 or later (Artinis, The Netherlands) with automated image evaluation (CDCOM, Euref) and psychometric correction in order to take the effect of the human observer into account. 

However, besides requiring a costly phantom, the routine use of the CDMAM phantom is very time consuming because several (recommended 16) identical phantom images must be acquired for each exposure condition. 

Internationa guidlines gives references values in terms of equivalent gold thicknesses

With Digital Breast Tomosynthesis this phantom can not be used as it is designed to work with projective images.

On the contrary, Digital breast tomosynthesis allows to obtained an almost tridimensional image of the breast using a series of projective acquisitions, taken at different angles.