Evaluation of the BreastSimulator Software Platform for Breast Tomography: Preliminary Results

The aim of this work is the evaluation of the software BreastSimulator, as a tool for the creation of 3D uncompressed breast digital models and for the simulation and the optimization of Computed Tomography (CT) equipment. Three 3D digital breast phantoms were created, having different sizes and with realistic anatomical features. We calculated 2D X-ray CT projections simulating a breast tomogram with a dedicated cone-beam CT scanner. From the reconstructed CT slices, the power-law exponent, has been evaluated from the Noise Power Spectrum function S(f) = α/f^β. The results were then verified by comparison against clinical CT and published data. The preliminary results of this study showed that the simulated model complexity may reproduce the real anatomical complexity of the breast tissues as described, in terms of β values, since the measured β coefficients are close to that of clinical CT data from a dedicated breast CT scanner.