Predicted image quality of a CMOS APS X-ray detector across a range of mammographic beam qualities

Abstract

Digital X-ray detectors based on Complementary Metal-Oxide- Semiconductor (CMOS) Active Pixel Sensor (APS) technology have been introduced in the early 2000s in medical imaging applications. In a previous study the X-ray performance (i.e. presampling Modulation Transfer Function (pMTF), Normalized Noise Power Spectrum (NNPS), Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and Detective Quantum Efficiency (DQE)) of the Dexela 2923MAM CMOS APS X-ray detector was evaluated within the mammographic energy range using monochromatic synchrotron radiation (i.e. 17-35 keV). In this study image simulation was used to predict how the mammographic beam quality affects image quality. In particular, the experimentally measured monochromatic pMTF, NNPS and SNR parameters were combined with various mammographic spectral shapes (i.e. Molybdenum/Molybdenum (Mo/Mo), Rhodium/Rhodium (Rh/Rh), Tungsten/Aluminium (W/Al) and Tungsten/Rhodium (W/Rh) anode/filtration combinations at 28 kV). The image quality was measured in terms of Contrast-to-Noise Ratio (CNR) using a synthetic breast phantom (4 cm thick with 50% glandularity). The results can be used to optimize the imaging conditions in order to minimize patient's Mean Glandular Dose (MGD).