Stereoscopic representation of the breast from two mammographic views with external markers

摘要

A new breast imaging technique has been developed and tested for the stereoscopic representation of the breast. The method uses markers at specific locations on the breast surface and standard mammographic projections and was tested with an anthropomorphic phantom containing five mass-like objects at locations determined by a CT scan. The phantom was imaged with a GE Senographe 2000D digital system with and without the markers. The algorithm's modules included: 1) Breast area segmentation; 2) Pectoral muscle segmentation; 3) Registration and alignment of the mammographic projections based on selected reference points; 4) Breast volume estimation based on volume conservation principle during compression and shape definition using surface points; 5) Three-dimensional lesion(s) localization and representation. An interactive, IDL-based, graphical interface was also developed for the stereoscopic display of the breast. The reconstruction algorithm assumed that the breast shrinks and stretches uniformly when compression is applied and removed. The relative movement of the markers after compression allowed more accurate estimation of the shrinking and stretching of the surface offering a relatively simple and practical way to improve volume estimation and surface reconstruction. Such stereoscopic representation of the breast and associated findings may improve radiological interpretation and physical examinations for breast cancer diagnosis.