Recent Advances In Breast Imaging Mammography And Computer Aided Diagnosis Of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer found in women worldwide; approximately 10 per cent of women are confronted with breast cancer in their lives. Breast cancer can be most efficiently treated if detected at an early stage. This book focuses primarily on the application of computer vision for early lesion identification in mammograms and breast-imaging volumes through computer-aided diagnostics (CAD). Colour illustrations are included in the text, and an accompanying CD-ROM contains other full-colour images.

X-ray mammography screening is the current mainstay for early breast cancer detection. It has been proven to detect breast cancer at an earlier stage and to reduce the number of women dying from the disease. However, it has a number of limitations. These current limitations in early breast cancer detection technology are driving a surge of new technological developments, from modifications of x-ray mammography such as computer programs that can indicate suspicious areas, to newer methods of detection such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or biochemical tests on breast fluids. To explore the merits and drawbacks of these new breast cancer detection techniques, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences convened a committee of experts. During its year of operation, the committee examined the peer-reviewed literature, consulted with other experts in the field, and held two public workshops. In addition to identifying promising new technologies for early detection, the committee explored potential barriers that might prevent the development of new detection methods and their common usage. Such barriers could include lack of funding from agencies that support research and lack of investment in the commercial sector; complicated, inconsistent, or unpredictable federal regulations; inadequate insurance reimbursement; and limited access to or unacceptability of breast cancer detection technology for women and their doctors. Based on the findings of their study, the committee prepared a report entitled Mammography and Beyond: Developing Technology for Early Detection of Breast Cancer, which was published in the spring of 2001. This is a non-technical summary of that report.

In November 1999, the Institute of Medicine, in consultation with the Commission on Life Sciences, the Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications, and the Board on Science, Technology and Economic Policy launched a one year study on technologies for early detection of breast cancer. The committee was asked to examine technologies under development for early breast cancer detection, and to scrutinize the process of medical technology development, adoption, and dissemination. The committee is gathering information on these topics for its report in a number of ways, including two public workshops that bring in outside expertise. The first workshop on "Developing Technologies for Early Breast Cancer Detection" was held in Washington DC in February 2000. The content of the presentations at the workshop is summarized here. A second workshop, which will focus on the process of technology development and adoption, will be held in Washington, DC on June 19-20. A formal report on these topics, including conclusions and recommendations, will be prepared by the committee upon completion of the one-year study.

This book is a comprehensive guide to contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM), a novel advanced mammography technique using dual-energy mammography in combination with intravenous contrast administration in order to increase the diagnostic performance of digital mammography. Readers will find helpful information on the principles of CEM and indications for the technique. Detailed attention is devoted to image interpretation, with presentation of case examples and highlighting of pitfalls and artifacts. Other topics to be addressed include the establishment of a CEM program, the comparative merits of CEM and MRI, and the roles of CEM in screening populations and monitoring of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. CEM became commercially available in 2011 and is increasingly being used in clinical practice owing to its superiority over full-field digital mammography. This book will be an ideal source of knowledge and guidance for all who wish to start using the technique or to learn more about it.

Improve the Accurate Detection and Diagnosis of Cancer and Other Diseases Despite the expansion of the CAD field in recent decades, there is currently no single book dedicated to the development and use of CAD systems. Filling this need, Computer-Aided Detection and Diagnosis in Medical Imaging covers the major technical advances and methodologies shaping the development and clinical utility of CAD systems in breast imaging, chest imaging, abdominal imaging, and other emerging applications. After a historical overview of CAD, the book is divided into four sections. The first section presents CAD technologies in breast imaging, which is the most advanced area of CAD application. The second section discusses CAD technologies in chest and abdominal imaging. The third section explores emerging CAD technologies in a wide range of imaging modalities designed to address a variety of diseases. The final section describes the current use of CAD systems in clinical practice as well as how CAD will play an important role in quantitative image biomarkers and imaging genomics research. This book brings together existing and emerging CAD approaches at a level understandable to students, CAD system developers, basic scientists, and physician scientists. Newcomers to CAD research will learn about fundamental aspects in the process of CAD system development. Developers of CAD systems will gain insight on designing new or improved CAD systems. Experienced researchers will get up-to-date information on the latest CAD technologies.

In June 1998 the Fourth International Workshop on Digital Mammography was held in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, where it was hosted by the department of Radiology of the University Hospital Nijmegen. This series of meetings was initiated at the 1993 SPIE Biomedical Image Processing Conference in San Jose, USA, where a number of sessions were entirely devoted to mammographic image analysis. At very successful subsequent workshops held in York, UK (1994) and Chicago, USA (1996), the scope of the conference was broadened, establishing a platform for presentation and discussion of new developments in digital mammog raphy. Topics that are addressed at these meetings are computer-aided diagnosis, image processing, detector development, system design, observer performance and clinical evaluation. The goal is to bring researchers from universities, breast cancer experts, and engineers together, to exchange information and present new scientific developments in this rapidly evolving field. This book contains all the scientific papers and posters presented at the work shop in Nijmegen. Contributions came from as many as 20 different countries and 190 participants attended the meeting. At a technical exhibit companies demon strated new products and work in progress. Abstracts of all papers were reviewed by members of the scientific committee. Many of the accepted papers had excellent quality, but due to limited space not all of them could be included as full papers in these proceedings. Papers that were rated high by the reviewers are included as long or short papers, others appear as extended abstracts in the last chapter.

Due to the increasing number of digital mammograms and the advent of new kinds of three-dimensional x-ray and other forms of medical imaging, mammography is undergoing a dramatic change. To meet their responsibilities, medical physicists must constantly renew their knowledge of advances in medical imaging or radiation therapy, and must be prepared to function at the intersection of these two fields. Physics of Mammographic Imaging gives an overview on the current role and future potential of new alternatives to mammography in the context of clinical need, complementary approaches, and ongoing research. This book provides comprehensive coverage on the fundamentals of image formation, image interpretation, analysis, and modeling. It discusses the use of mammographic imaging in the detection, diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring of breast cancer. Expert authors give a balanced summary of core topics such as digital mammography, contrast-enhanced mammography, stereomammography, breast tomosynthesis, and breast CT. The book highlights the use of mammographic imaging with complementary breast imaging modalities such as ultrasound, MRI, and nuclear medicine techniques. It discusses critical issues such as computer-aided diagnosis, perception, and quality assurance. This is an exciting time in the development of medical imaging, with many new technologies poised to make a substantial impact on breast cancer care. This book will help researchers and students get up to speed on crucial developments and contribute to future advances in the field.