New Technique Improves Breast Imaging

In tomosynthesis, the x-ray tube moves in a 50-degree arc around the breast while 11 low-dose images are taken during a seven-second examination. A computer then assembles the information to provide high-resolution cross-section and 3D images that can be reviewed by the radiologist at a computer workstation. One important advantage of the technique is a significant reduction in false- positive test results.

The study involved 100 women who had both tomosynthesis and standard mammography. Radiologists who reviewed both images reported being significantly more confident in determining the malignancy of lesions with tomosynthesis. The tomosynthesis device and algorithms for analyzing data and producing images were all developed by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH, Boston, USA).

"The overlap of breast structures presents a major challenge for radiologists,” said Elizabeth Rafferty, M.D., of the MGH Breast Imaging Service. "By eliminating this structure overlap, tomosynthesis prevents virtually all of these unnecessary callbacks, along with the anxiety they create.” The study was presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago, IL (USA).




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