Clinical Evaluation of Primary Sampling Scatter Correction for Chest Tomosynthesis

Digital tomosynthesis is an imaging modality that produces 3D sectional information using x-ray projections acquired over a limited scanning angle. Scatter is known to be the primary source of image degradation in x-ray based imaging.

The investigators have developed an approach that measures scatter through a low dose (3% of the conventional scan) scatter measurement technique. Preliminary studies have shown that scatter reduction in DCT can significantly improve quality. The approach will characterize the reader confidence in lung nodule detection in a scatter corrected chest tomosynthesis imaging approach as compared to the conventional chest tomosynthesis.

Fifty (50) patients who have undergone a clinical non-contrast CT with lung nodules will be asked to have an s-DCT (scan) within 4 weeks (+/- 2 week) of their clinical CT with no intervening procedures or therapies (i.e. biopsy of lung nodules). Investigators will then perform a reader study to evaluate the radiologist reader confidence in images generated from the scatter reduction technique versus more conventional chest tomosynthesis imaging.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with known lung lesion(s)
• Patients having undergone a chest CT
• Patients 18 years of age and older
• Patients able to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who may not fit on a 35 x 35 detector (BMI > 35)
• Planned procedures or therapies during study (in between SOC scans and study scan on s-DCT) (biopsy or removal of lung lesion)
• Any woman who is pregnant, has reason to believe she is pregnant, or is lactating