Optimization of the exposure parameters in digital mammography: experimental and simulation studies

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, being most responsible for mortality in this population. Mammography is currently the most widely used technique for the early detection of breast cancer. Currently, recent advances indevelopment of digital imaging systems have allowed an improvement in sensitivity of the mammography.This project intent to study the optimal exposure conditions for the examination of digital mammography based on acquisition of medical imaging and dosimetry studies. In order to make this possible, the study will be performed using two approaches: an experimental, based on acquisition of digital images obtained by medical equipment using breast phantoms (for different compositions), and a theoretical part, developed through Monte Carlo simulation to find new settings and new exposure parameters that could be used in digital mammography exams.The results of this work will contribute to the identification of conditions in which they can improve the quality of the image obtained with the lowest dose, to reduce the risk associated with patient exposure to ionizing radiation and their results will be proposed to optimize mammograms in real patients . (AU)