Classification of Breast Tissue by Texture Analysis

The identification of glandular tissue in breast X-rays (mammograms) is important both in assessing asymmetry between left and right breasts, and in estimating the radiation risk associated with mammographic screening. The appearance of glandular tissue in mammograms is highly variable, ranging from sparse streaks to dense blobs. Fatty regions are generally smooth and dark. Texture analysis provides a flexible approach to discriminating between glandular and fatty regions. We have performed a series of experiments investigating the use of granulometry and texture energy to classify breast tissue. Results of automatic classifications have been compared with a consensus annotation provided by two expert breast radiologists. On a set of 40 mammograms, a correct classification rate of 80% has been achieved using texture energy analysis.