Yoshie Kodera

MTF measurement method for medical displays by using a bar-pattern image

— A modulation-transfer-function (MTF) measurement method that uses a bar-pattern image for medical displays such as liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) and cathode-ray tubes (CRTs) has been investigated. A specific bar-pattern image on the display was acquired with a high-resolution single-lens reflex-type digital camera equipped with a close-up lens. The MTF was calculated from the amplitudes of the fundamental-frequency components, which were extracted from the profile data across the bar patterns by using Fourier analysis. Actual comparisons with the conventional line technique were performed for a medical CRT. The adequate accuracy and excellent reproducibility of the method were confirmed. Furthermore, unlike the line method, an advantageous feature which can use an input signal with sufficient amplitude was theoretically proved. Horizontal and vertical MTFs at the central position of the display area were measured up to the Nyquist frequency for several medical displays. From these measurements, this method has the capability to detect slight differences between the displays measured. This proposed method is useful in understanding and quantifying the medical displays performance due to excellent reproducibility and accuracy.

Investigation of physical image characteristics and phenomenon of edge enhancement by phase contrast using equipment typical for mammography

A technique called phase contrast mammography (PCM) has only recently been applied in clinical examination. In this application, PCM images are acquired at a 1.75 x magnification using an x-ray tube for clinical use, and then reduced to the real size of the object by image processing. The images showed enhanced object edges; reportedly, this enhancement occurred because of the refraction of x rays through a cylindrical object. The authors measured the physical image characteristics of PCM to compare the image characteristics of PCM with those of conventional mammography. More specifically, they measured the object-edge-response characteristics and the noise characteristics in the spatial frequency domain. The results revealed that the edge-response characteristics of PCM outperformed those of conventional mammography. In addition, the characteristics changed with the object-placement conditions and the object shapes. The noise characteristics of PCM were better than those of conventional mammography. Subsequently, to verify why object edges were enhanced in PCM images, the authors simulated image profiles that would be obtained if the x rays were refracted and totally reflected by using not only a cylindrical substance but also a planar substance as the object. So, they confirmed that the object edges in PCM images were enhanced because x rays were refracted irrespective of the object shapes. Further, they found that the edge enhancements depended on the object shapes and positions. It was also proposed that the larger magnification than 1.75 in the commercialized system might be more suitable for PCM. Finally, the authors investigated phase-contrast effects to breast tissues by the simulation and demonstrated that PCM would be helpful in the diagnoses of mammography.

Development of a new resolution enhancement technology for medical liquid crystal displays

A new resolution enhancement technology that used independent sub-pixel driving method was developed for medical monochrome liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Each pixel of monochrome LCDs, which employ color liquid crystal panels with color filters removed, consists of three sub-pixels. In the new LCD system implemented with this technology, sub-pixel intensities were modulated according to detailed image information, and consequently resolution was enhanced three times. In addition, combined with adequate resolution improvement by image data processing, horizontal and vertical resolution properties were balanced. Thus the new technology realized 9 mega-pixels (MP) ultra-high resolution out of 3MP LCD. Physical measurements and perceptual evaluations proved that the achieved 9MP (through our new technology) was appropriate and efficient to depict finer anatomical structures such as micro calcifications in mammography.

Quantitative Kinetic Analysis of Lung Nodules Using the Temporal Subtraction Technique in Dynamic Chest Radiographies Performed with a Flat Panel Detector

Early detection and treatment of lung cancer is one of the most effective means of reducing cancer mortality, and to this end, chest X-ray radiography has been widely used as a screening method. A related technique based on the development of computer analysis and a flat panel detector (FPD) has enabled the functional evaluation of respiratory kinetics in the chest and is expected to be introduced into clinical practice in the near future. In this study, we developed a computer analysis algorithm to detect lung nodules and to evaluate quantitative kinetics. Breathing chest radiographs obtained by modified FPD and breath synchronization utilizing diaphragmatic analysis of vector movement were converted into four static images by sequential temporal subtraction processing, morphological enhancement processing, kinetic visualization processing, and lung region detection processing. An artificial neural network analyzed these density patterns to detect the true nodules and draw their kinetic tracks. Both the algorithm performance and the evaluation of clinical effectiveness of seven normal patients and simulated nodules showed sufficient detecting capability and kinetic imaging function without significant differences. Our technique can quantitatively evaluate the kinetic range of nodules and is effective in detecting a nodule on a breathing chest radiograph. Moreover, the application of this technique is expected to extend computer-aided diagnosis systems and facilitate the development of an automatic planning system for radiation therapy.

A simple method for evaluating image quality of screen-film system using a high-performance digital camera

Screen-film systems are used in mammography even now. Therefore, it is important to measure their physical properties such as modulation transfer function (MTF) or noise power spectrum (NPS). The MTF and NPS of screen-film systems are mostly measured by using a microdensitometer. However, since microdensitometers are not commonly used in general hospitals, it is difficult to carry out these measurements regularly. In the past, Ichikawa et al. have measured and evaluated the physical properties of medical liquid crystal displays by using a high-performance digital camera. By this method, the physical properties of screen-film systems can be measured easily without using a microdensitometer. Therefore, we have proposed a simple method for measuring the MTF and NPS of screen-film systems by using a high-performance digital camera. The proposed method is based on the edge method (for evaluating MTF) and the one-dimensional fast Fourier transform (FFT) method (for evaluating NPS), respectively. As a result, the MTF and NPS evaluated by using the high-performance digital camera approximately corresponded with those evaluated by using a microdensitometer. It is possible to substitute the calculation of MTF and NPS by using a high-performance digital camera for that by using a microdensitometer. Further, this method also simplifies the evaluation of the physical properties of screen-film systems.

Improvement of edge response in multi-detector row CT by high-spatial-frequency sampling of projection data

PurposeThe edge response behavior of multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) in high-spatial- frequency sampling may diminish due to fluctuations, so a method for improving the edge response was developed and tested.MethodMDCT enables thin-slice and high-speed scanning compared with conventional single-detector row CT (SDCT). However, MDCT uses increased volume scanning with a simultaneous increase in the radiation dose to patients. Recently, we proposed a fluctuation reduction method using high-spatial-frequency data sampling; however, the edge response in the processed image decreased. In this research, we investigate the edge response behavior in the high-spatial-frequency sampling, and propose a method for improving the edge response. To verify this method, a large water phantom that consists of five resinous rods and a small phantom with a similitude rate of 0.5, which is topologically similar to the former large phantom were scanned, and projection data sampling using high-spatial-frequency was simulated. Thereafter, reconstructed images were obtained by averaging the high-spatial-frequency sampling data, edge gradients of profiles were calculated, and the increased rate of the gradient values were evaluated.ResultsThis method increased the image noise slightly and provided higher gradient values with the same image matrix size as the conventional scans could be obtained without special image processing. In this phantom study, in order to simulate the high-spatial-frequency sampling, a large phantom was scanned and the fluctuation of transmitted X-rays was increased, thereby increasing the noise.ConclusionA phantom study of projection data sampling by high-spatial-frequency sampling was simulated in the x- and y-direction by scanning two phantoms, and the improvement in the edge response by this method produced 25–97% improvement using double-spatial-frequency sampling. If low-noise or high-sensitivity detector is developed, this method may be more effective.

Determination of imaging performance of a digital mammography

The method of calculating DQE of a general digital imaging system is proposed by IEC and it is coming to the stage of final draft. However, about digital mammography, nothing is decided yet. This research examines the evaluation method for image quality of a digital mammography with clinical equipment through physical evaluation of the mammographic computed radiography (CR) systems under clinical conditions. We used two CR systems. One consisted of a single plate image reader (FCR PROFECT CS, Fuji), which includes dual-side reading and 50-micron pixels. Other consisted of a single plate image reader (FCR 5000H, Fuji), which includes single-side reading and 100-micron pixels. Digital characteristic curves, presampling MTFs and digital Wiener spectra were measured as indices of image quality. Presampling MTFs were measured from slit and edge images at 28kV. Digital Wiener spectra were measured at 28kV with breast equivalent filter. Presampling MTFs with both readings were almost the same. Digital Wiener spectra with dual side reading were superior to those with single side reading. NEQ of CR system with dual side reading was superior to that with single side reading because of the good efficiency of light condensing. New mammographic CR systems with dual side readings should be a further powerful tool for detecting low-contrast lesions in breast. Wiener spectra need to determine exposure conditions, in order to perform comparison between institutions, since it is strongly influenced of beam quality and a dose. We also compared overall characteristic curves, overall MTFs and overall Wiener spectra of a new CR system with them of a screen-film system. Although MTF was calculated by the slit method, it is necessary to examine another method in quest of MTF including the effect of image processing of CR system.

Optimization of the exposure parameters with signal-to-noise ratios considering human visual characteristics in digital mammography

The use of digital mammography systems has become widespread recently However, the optimal exposure parameters are uncertain in clinical practice We need to optimize the exposure parameter in digital mammography while maximizing image quality and minimizing patient dose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the most beneficial exposure variable—tube voltage for each compressed breast thickness—with these indices: noise power spectrum, noise equivalent quanta, detective quantum efficiency, and signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) In this study, the SNRs were derived from the perceived statistical decision theory model with the internal noise of eye-brain system (SNRi), contrived and studied by Loo LN [1], Ishida M et al [2] These image quality indices were obtained under a fixed average glandular dose (AGD) and a fixed image contrast Our results indicated that when the image contrast and AGD was constant, for phantom thinner than 5 cm, an increase of the tube voltage did not improve the noise property of images very much The results also showed that image property with the target/filter Mo/Rh was better than that with Mo/Mo for phantom thicker than 4 cm In general, it is said that high tube voltage delivers improved noise property Our result indicates that this common theory is not realized with the x-ray energy level for mammography.

Study of signal-to-noise ratio in digital mammography

Mammography techniques have recently advanced from those using analog systems (the screen-film system) to those using digital systems; for example, computed radiography (CR) and flat-panel detectors (FPDs) are nowadays used in mammography. Further, phase contrast mammography (PCM)-a digital technique by which images with a magnification of 1.75× can be obtained-is now available in the market. We studied the effect of the air gap in PCM and evaluated the effectiveness of an antiscatter x-ray grid in conventional mammography (CM) by measuring the scatter fraction ratio (SFR) and relative signal-to-noise ratio (rSNR) and comparing them between PCM and the digital CM. The results indicated that the SFRs for the CM images obtained with a grid were the lowest and that these ratios were almost the same as those for the PCM images. In contrast, the rSNRs for the PCM images were the highest, which means that the scattering of x-rays was sufficiently reduced by the air gap without the loss of primary x-rays.

Comparison of MTFs in x-ray CT images between measured by current method and considered linearity in low contrast

Generally, the modulation transfer function (MTF) of a computed tomography (CT) scanner is calculated based on the CT value. However, it is impossible to measure the MTF directly because the CT value is defined as a nonlinear function of the X-ray intensity. Due to this characteristic, the MTF varies with the subjects contrast. Therefore, we measured the MTFs of a CT scanner using high- and low-contrast wire phantoms. We selected thick copper wire in water as the high-contrast subject and thin copper wire in water as the low-contrast subject. The MTF measured with the low-contrast subject was decreased relative to that measured with the high-contrast subject because the CT value was nonlinear. Thus, to evaluate the spatial resolution in a low-contrast subject such as the human body, we should measure the MTF with a low-contrast wire phantom. In addition, by using low-contrast subjects, we can approximately determine the CT value using a linear function.