Tushita Patel BS, Presenter: Institutional research agreement, Hologic, Inc

Heather Renee Peppard MD, Abstract Co-Author: Consultant, Siemens AG Research Grant, Hologic, Inc

Andrew Polemi, Abstract Co-Author: Institutional research agreement, Hologic, Inc

Zongyi Gong BS, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Institutional research agreement, Hologic, Inc

Mark Bennett Williams PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Institutional research agreement, Hologic, Inc.

A 2D anti-scatter grid can be usefully incorporated in DBT systems using fully isocentric tube-detector rotation to improve image quality, especially for thicker breasts. 

Radiation scattered from the breast in mammography causes image degradation, including loss of contrast between cancerous and background tissue. Scatter increases with increasing compressed thickness. Unlike in 2D mammography, an anti-scatter grid cannot readily be used in tomosynthesis since the changing tube-detector orientation would result in unacceptable loss of primary radiation. However, in the DMT scanner, which combines digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and molecular breast tomosynthesis (MBT) on a single gantry, the tube and detector rotate around a common axis. This C-arm geometry raises the possibility of using a 2-dimensional (cellular) focused anti-scatter grid. The purpose of this study is to assess the improvement in image quality when using an anti-scatter grid in the DBT portion of a DMT scan.

Patel, T, Peppard, H, Polemi, A, Gong, Z, Williams, M, Effects on Image Quality of a 2D Anti-scatter Grid in X-ray Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT): Initial Experience Using the Dual Modality Breast Tomosynthesis (DMT) Scanner.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14045682.html