# A Novel Low Dose and Accurate Phase Sensitive Breast Tomosynthesis (PBT) System based on Photon Counting Detector Technology for Cancer Imaging

> **NIH NIH F32** · UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA · 2020 · $67,486

## Abstract

A Novel Low Dose and Accurate Phase Sensitive Breast Tomosynthesis (PBT) System based on
 Photon Counting Detector Technology for Cancer Imaging
Project Summary:
This project will focus to build a clinically driven phase sensitive breast tomosynthesis (PBT) imaging system
using the photon counting x-ray detector technology to reduce the radiation dose and improve the accuracy of
phase retrieval methods. Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and PBT prototypes use the energy integrating
detectors which introduce considerable electronic noise at low dose levels that limit the ability to reduce the total
dose. With the spectral averaging of polychromatic x-ray beams, the quantitative information such as the
projected electron densities of tissues is not accurately retrieved in phase sensitive imaging as the phase retrieval
methods hold rigorously for monochromatic x-ray beams. One can employ energy resolving spectrometer to
suppress the electronic noise and take the full advantage of the phase retrieval process. However, such an
approach will be time-consuming and cannot be realized in the clinical world. We propose the utilization of photon
counting detector technology with phase sensitive imaging technique to address the stated limitations. Photon
counting detectors with their ability to eliminate the electronic noise potentially allow the phase sensitive imaging
of breast at reduced radiation dose levels while preserving excellent imaging quality, enhanced tissue contrast,
and tissue type identification capabilities. With narrow energy bin imaging, photon counting detectors limit the
contributions of various photon energies in the polychromatic x-ray beam, and this will potentially help in
accurately retrieving the quantitative information of the tissue. Such a technology for breast cancer imaging is
neither available nor optimized. These are the primary aims proposed in this proposal: (1) Developing an inline
PBT prototype that incorporates a high-resolution two-dimensional photon counting detector. We will fully
characterize the spectral PBT; determining the detective quantum efficiency, measuring the spatial resolution,
evaluating the noise properties, count rate performance, determining the width and location of energy bin; (2)
Optimizing the phase retrieval methods for accurate quantification of the phase maps and projected electron
densities of the breast tissues; (3) Conducting the image quality and dose saving comparisons with the existing
PBT prototypes and DBT systems that utilize the energy integrating detectors. The proposed project will further
facilitate the translation of the phase sensitive imaging of breast to the clinical world and enhance the sensitivity
and specificity of breast cancer detection while reducing the radiation dose.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9992931
- **Project number:** 1F32CA250300-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
- **Principal Investigator:** Muhammad U Ghani
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $67,486
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-05-11 → 2023-05-10

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9992931

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9992931, A Novel Low Dose and Accurate Phase Sensitive Breast Tomosynthesis (PBT) System based on Photon Counting Detector Technology for Cancer Imaging (1F32CA250300-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9992931. Licensed CC0.

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