<title>Development of a test object for an objective assessment of image quality in conventional or digital mammography</title>

Abstract

The assessment of image quality in mammography often relies on the subjective evaluation of films produced with test-objects containing structures such as masses, micro-calcifications and filaments. If the methodology is adequate to control the stability of a mammography unit, its use in a context of system optimization (from the x-ray spectrum to the detector response) is limited. Thus, a test-object which allows measurements of the detectability index d' from the non-prewhitening matched filter (NPWE) observer, was developed and tested. The test-object is 45 mm thick and allows the assessment of d' in areas of different glandular/fat compositions (i.e image quality evaluation taking into account the dynamic range parameter). To simulate the absorption of the skin, a 100% fat equivalent tissue, with a thickness of 5 mm, is placed on each side of the test-object. On a conventional unit, it is possible to assess the image parameters at three optical density levels (i.e. 0.5 - 0.8 ; 1.5 - 1.6 and 2.3 - 2.6) in one exposure. The imaging of this test object on digital units has also been tested satisfactorily.