X-Ray Phase Imaging for Breast Cancer Detection

Abstract

Abstract : The long term objective of the project is to develop a low-dose and quantitative phase x-ray imaging technique for facilitating breast cancer detection. In this period we have accomplished following tasks: (1) We compared the robustness of the phase retrievals with two phase-retrieval methods, as the common TIE-based method vs. the AP-based method that we developed, by analyzing the phase maps retrieved from the experimental images of a phantom. The AP-based method is shown in the experiment to be superior to the TIE-based method for the robustness in performing the phase retrieval. (2) We conducted phantom imaging studies with 100 kVp-140 kVp tube voltages and performed the phase retrievals to retrieve phantom phase maps for fully exhibiting the phase contrast and providing quantitative information on the phantom electron densities. The results of the study show that the phase contrast exhibited in the retrieved phase maps compensates for the attenuation-contrast loss associated with the high tube-voltages, and with these techniques the radiation doses are reduced and quantitative information on the phantom projective electron densities is obtained. In the coming no-cost extension period, We plan to further optimize the design trade-off in image detection for achieving more large radiation dose reductions and refine our phase retrieval method for higher retrieval accuracies.