Synthetic Digital Mammograms
High resolution, virtual digital mammograms are created from computational
models of the human breast that include branched lobulated ducts and suspensory
ligaments embedded in fatty subcutaneous tissues. Breast phantoms
may include any of the following three types of simulated tumors:
-
fibroadenomas:
subtle |
obvious |
tumor only |
-
invasive ductal carcinomas:
subtle |
obvious |
tumor only |
-
intraductal carcinomas:
subtle |
obvious |
tumor only |
Virtual mammograms are generated by computing x-ray transmission through
mathematically defined, three dimensional tissue space according to Beer's
Law, using a fast ray-tracing algorithm. The resulting test images
are realistic, inexpensive, and reproducible at any desired resolution.
They may contain precisely defined and localized abnormalities of unlimited
subtlety.