Volume Reconstruction of Clustered Micro-Calcifications in Mammograms

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes for death of women in the western world. Detection of anomalies early pathological stages and immidiate treatment are essential for successful cure. Early stages of breast cancer are indicated by the occurance of microcalcifications [2]. About 30% of all tissue changes show clustered microcalcifications. Their shape and spatial arrangement are of high diagnostic value [3]. In many cases it is possible to distinguish benign and malignant tissue changes on the base of the shape and spatial arrangement of its contained microcalcifications [4]. To recognize the positions of microcalcifications in the female breast, radiologists have to detect them in mammograms and have to analyse their spatial relationship just on the base of one or two views/mammograms. The process of recognition and reconstruction of clustered microcalcifications requires a good expert knowledge and a high abstract imagination capability. Therefore it is very useful to recogize microcalcifications automatically in mammograms and to present their spatial relationship in an animated 3D modell. Only a few attempts have been made to estimate the three–dimensional arrangement of clustered microcalcifications automatically. Bates [7] and Maidment [6] et al. need at least 4 – 7 projections of different angles to come to a sufficient volume representation. In standard cancer examinations only two X–ray projections are generated. The need of more X–ray projections results in higher biological radiation loads which is unacceptable in regular preventive checkups.