New Screens Improve Diagnosis at Mammography-Screening Center

Mammograms are sharp with high contrast and very little noise, and highlight microcalcifications, lesions, and spicules with a high level of detail.

DIRANUK (Bielefeld, Germany) Radiologist Dr. Ulrike Meyer-Johann finds the screen upgrades helpful: "Better definition and the much improved contrast to noise ratio as compared to earlier screens greatly enhance the detection of microcalcifications and the detailed discrimination of architectural abnormalities," she said. "Spiculated opacities are also much easier to detect."

The technology behind the improved screens lies in the needle-shaped phosphor crystals, which are oriented at 90 degrees to the screen surface. They reduce the spread of light within the screen and produce a uniform screen structure compared to traditional powder based phosphors. The high density of the needle phosphor ensures a very high level of X-ray absorption so that in comparison to conventional imaging screens, it is possible to use a much-reduced dose.

The new SNP-M1 screens have been in use for digital mammography at DIRANUK since the middle of 2010. The image data is digitized using the DIRECTVIEW CR 975 system and then a diagnosis is made via a CARESTREAM PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) mammography workstation with CAD software.

Radiologists using the mammography workstation can utilize a number of tools that facilitate diagnosis, including the integration of images and a number of viewing options. Nearly everything needed for detailed analysis is provided by the magnifier and intelligent zoom (1:1 imaging) functions, and at the touch of a button, radiologists can select their preferred display protocol. Images and spiculated opacities can be highlighted to assist surgeons when operating, and in many cases, inverting the images will allow a more detailed view of micro calcifications.

The improved visualization of microcalcifications and architectural abnormalities has led to an increase in the detection of small carcinomas and precancers. The use of the PACS mammography workstation allows digital images, including preview images, to be accessed quickly and enables parallel diagnosis at different locations.

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