The small-size details detection performance of digital breast tomosynthesis, synthetic 2D, and conventional full-field digital mammography images for different mammography systems: a multicenter study

The aim of the study is to compare the small-size objects detection of synthetic 2D (2D-S), breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and standard full-field digital mammography (FFDM) images for different mammography systems. 8 mammography systems of 6 different models and vendors were compared using a home-made phantom composed of CDMAM (Artinis), homogeneous PMMA slabs and BR3D tissue-equivalent slabs (Cirs) containing an anatomic noise. In this study we performed a 4AFC study relative to details with diameters ranging from 100 to 500 μm. We simulate different phantom configurations equivalent to small, standard and large breast adding homogeneous PMMA slabs in order to obtain 3 different equivalent thicknesses. Each phantom configuration was imaged with 2 different dose levels. The processed images were successively divided into squared sub-images, each containing a detail of different size and contrast. The sub-images were rotated and displayed in random order on a 5MP calibrated monitor to 4 trained readers. A percentage correct PC relative each detail was calculated for each mammography, modality and configuration. Preliminary results obtained for configuration A (small breast) and “fixed” dose show that FFDM and DBT images have a significant better detection rates respect to 2D-S for details in the whole range 100-500 μm (p 0.06). Besides these general results, some different behaviours among mammography systems were found.