Review of radiation dose estimates in digital breast tomosynthesis relative to those in two-view full-field digital mammography. Issue 2 (April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Svahn, T.M.; Houssami, N.; Sechopoulos, I.; Mattsson, S.
• Is Part Of: Breast. Volume 24:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 93
• Page End: 99
• Publication Date: 2015-04
• Subjects: Breast -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Breast -- Tumors -- Periodicals; Breast -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2014.12.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-9776

Abstract

<abstract xml:lang="en" abstract-type="author" id="abs0010"> <title id="sectitle0010">Abstract</title> <sec> <p id="abspara0010">We examined how radiation dose levels in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) differ from those used in 2-view full-field digital mammography (FFDM).</p> <p id="abspara0015">Acquisition parameter settings and information on the average absorbed dose to the glandular tissues within the breasts were reviewed based on clinical studies that evaluated DBT and FFDM. Dose ratios (<italic>D</italic><sub><italic>DBT</italic></sub><italic>/D</italic><sub><italic>FFDM</italic></sub>) were derived from imaging protocols, which included tomosynthesis in 1- or 2-views alone, and as an adjunct technique to FFDM.</p> <p id="abspara0020">Stand-alone DBT was associated with a much lower to a slightly higher radiation dose compared to that of comparable FFDM units, as summarized in dose ratio ranges of 0.34–1.0 for 1-view DBT, and 0.68–1.17 for 2-view DBT. One of the lowest reported dose estimates was obtained using a photon-counting DBT unit (avg. 0.70 mGy/scan; range: 0.28–1.26 mGy). Breast doses for DBT combined with FFDM are summarized in dose ratio ranges of 1.03–1.5 for 1-view DBT plus FFDM, and 2.0–2.23 for 2-view DBT plus FFDM. In the latter of these settings, the dose was reduced by ∼45% when 2D-views, reconstructed from the DBT images ("synthetic 2D images"), were used as a substitute for FFDM.</p> <p id="abspara0025">Stand-alone DBT operated at lower to slightly higher radiation doses in comparison to FFDM. For DBT combined with FFDM, radiation doses were elevated, at maximum by a factor ∼2 1/4 of that of FFDM alone. In this setting, a replacement of FFDM with synthetic 2D-views reduced the breast dose approximately by half, which has substantial implications for population screening programs.</p> </sec> </abstract>