X-ray Cone-Beam Breast Computed Tomography: Phantom Studies

We present the design and preliminary imaging evaluation of a bench-top apparatus for X-ray cone-beam breast computed tomography (CBBCT), assembled for technical evaluation and for laboratory tests of various optimization techniques for CBBCT. The prototype is characterized by the computer control of the X-ray tube (W anode, 35-80 kVp, 0.25 mA, 50  ¿m focal spot size), CsI:Tl CMOS flat panel detector (12×12 cm
²
area, 50 ¿m pitch, up to 9 fps at 4 ×  4 binning), motorized translation and rotation stages with eight degrees of freedom, and fan-beam or cone-beam backprojection software. First cone-beam tomographic images of two 14-cm diameter hemiellipsoidal PMMA breast phantoms are presented.