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Ruola Ning

Publications and source records attributed to Ruola Ning.

3 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Why should breast tumour detection go three dimensional?

Although x-ray mammography is widely developed for breast tumour detection, it suffers from spatial superposition in its two-dimensional (2D) representation of a three-dimensional (3D) breast structure. Accordingly, 3D breast imaging, such as cone-beam computed tomography (CT), arises at the historic moment. In this paper, we theoretically elucidate the spatial superposition effect associated with x-ray mammography on breast tumour detection. This explanation is based on the line integral of x-ray traversing a composite breast model. As a result, we can characterize the difficulty of detecting small tumours in terms of local intensity contrast in x-ray images. In comparison, we also introduce cone-beam CT breast imaging for 3D breast volume representation, which offers advantages for breast mass segmentation and measurement. The discussion is demonstrated with an experiment with a breast surgical specimen. In conclusion, we strongly believe that 3D volumetric representation allows for more accurate breast tumour detection.

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PubMed2003

Flat panel detector-based cone beam computed tomography with a circle-plus-two-arcs data acquisition orbit: preliminary phantom study.

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been investigated in the past two decades due to its potential advantages over a fan beam CT. These advantages include (a) great improvement in data acquisition efficiency, spatial resolution, and spatial resolution uniformity, (b) substantially better utilization of x-ray photons generated by the x-ray tube compared to a fan beam CT, and (c) significant advancement in clinical three-dimensional (3D) CT applications. However, most studies of CBCT in the past are focused on cone beam data acquisition theories and reconstruction algorithms. The recent development of x-ray flat panel detectors (FPD) has made CBCT imaging feasible and practical. This paper reports a newly built flat panel detector-based CBCT prototype scanner and presents the results of the preliminary evaluation of the prototype through a phantom study. The prototype consisted of an x-ray tube, a flat panel detector, a GE 8800 CT gantry, a patient table and a computer system. The prototype was constructed by modifying a GE 8800 CT gantry such that both a single-circle cone beam acquisition orbit and a circle-plus-two-arcs orbit can be achieved. With a circle-plus-two-arcs orbit, a complete set of cone beam projection data can be obtained, consisting of a set of circle projections and a set of arc projections. Using the prototype scanner, the set of circle projections were acquired by rotating the x-ray tube and the FPD together on the gantry, and the set of arc projections were obtained by tilting the gantry while the x-ray tube and detector were at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions, respectively. A filtered backprojection exact cone beam reconstruction algorithm based on a circle-plus-two-arcs orbit was used for cone beam reconstruction from both the circle and arc projections. The system was first characterized in terms of the linearity and dynamic range of the detector. Then the uniformity, spatial resolution and low contrast resolution were assessed using different phantoms mainly in the central plane of the cone beam reconstruction. Finally, the reconstruction accuracy of using the circle-plus-two-arcs orbit and its related filtered backprojection cone beam volume CT reconstruction algorithm was evaluated with a specially designed disk phantom. The results obtained using the new cone beam acquisition orbit and the related reconstruction algorithm were compared to those obtained using a single-circle cone beam geometry and Feldkamp's algorithm in terms of reconstruction accuracy. The results of the study demonstrate that the circle-plus-two-arcs cone beam orbit is achievable in practice. Also, the reconstruction accuracy of cone beam reconstruction is significantly improved with the circle-plus-two-arcs orbit and its related exact CB-FPB algorithm, as compared to using a single circle cone beam orbit and Feldkamp's algorithm.

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PubMed2002

Cone-beam volume CT breast imaging: feasibility study.

X-ray projection mammography, using a film/screen combination, or digital techniques, has proven to be the most effective imaging modality currently available for early detection of breast cancer. However, the inherent superimposition of structures makes a small carcinoma (a few millimeters in size) difficult to detect when it is occult or in dense breasts, leading to a high false-positive biopsy rate. Cone-beam x-ray-projection-based volume imaging using flat panel detectors (FPDs) may allow obtaining three-dimensional breast images, resulting in more accurate diagnosis of structures and patterns of lesions while eliminating the hard compression of breasts. This article presents a novel cone-beam volume computed tomographic breast imaging (CBVCTBI) technique based on the above techniques. Through a variety of computer simulations, the key issues of the system and imaging techniques were addressed, including the x-ray imaging geometry and corresponding reconstruction algorithms, x-ray characteristics of breast tissue and lesions, x-ray setting techniques, the absorbed dose estimation, and the quantitative effect of x-ray scattering on image quality. The preliminary simulation results support the proposed CVBCTBI modality for breast imaging in respect to its feasibility and practicability. The absorbed dose level is comparable to that of current mammography and will not be a prominent problem for this imaging technique. Compared to conventional mammography, the proposed imaging technique with isotropic spatial resolution will potentially provide significantly better low-contrast detectability of breast tumors and more accurate location of breast lesions.

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