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Main Authors: Mackenzie, Alistair, Loveland, John, van Engen, Ruben
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.13595
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author Mackenzie, Alistair
Loveland, John
van Engen, Ruben
author_facet Mackenzie, Alistair
Loveland, John
van Engen, Ruben
contents The aim was to undertake a national survey of the setup of mammography imaging systems in the UK, we were particularly interested in image processing and software version. We created a program that can extract selected tags from the DICOM header. 28 medical physics departments used the program on processed images of the TORMAM phantom acquired since 2023 and this produced data for 497 systems. We received data for 7 different models of mammography systems. We found that currently in use each model had between 2 and 7 different versions of software for the acquisition workstation. Each of the systems had multiple versions of image processing settings, a preliminary investigation with TORMAM demonstrated large differences in the appearance of the image for the same X-ray model. The Fujifilm, GE and Siemens systems showed differences in the setup of the dose levels. In addition to these settings there were differences in the paddles used and grid type. Our snapshot of system set up showed that there is a potential for the images to appear differently according to the settings seen in the headers. These differences may affect the outcomes of AI and also human readers. Thus the introduction of AI must take these differences into consideration and the inevitably changes of settings in the future. There are responsibilities on AI suppliers, physics, mammographic equipment manufacturers, and breast-screening units to manage the use of AI and ensure the outcomes of breast screening are not adversely affected by the set-up of equipment.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2501_13595
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Survey of image processing settings used for mammography systems in the United Kingdom: how variable is it?
Mackenzie, Alistair
Loveland, John
van Engen, Ruben
Image and Video Processing
Computers and Society
The aim was to undertake a national survey of the setup of mammography imaging systems in the UK, we were particularly interested in image processing and software version. We created a program that can extract selected tags from the DICOM header. 28 medical physics departments used the program on processed images of the TORMAM phantom acquired since 2023 and this produced data for 497 systems. We received data for 7 different models of mammography systems. We found that currently in use each model had between 2 and 7 different versions of software for the acquisition workstation. Each of the systems had multiple versions of image processing settings, a preliminary investigation with TORMAM demonstrated large differences in the appearance of the image for the same X-ray model. The Fujifilm, GE and Siemens systems showed differences in the setup of the dose levels. In addition to these settings there were differences in the paddles used and grid type. Our snapshot of system set up showed that there is a potential for the images to appear differently according to the settings seen in the headers. These differences may affect the outcomes of AI and also human readers. Thus the introduction of AI must take these differences into consideration and the inevitably changes of settings in the future. There are responsibilities on AI suppliers, physics, mammographic equipment manufacturers, and breast-screening units to manage the use of AI and ensure the outcomes of breast screening are not adversely affected by the set-up of equipment.
title Survey of image processing settings used for mammography systems in the United Kingdom: how variable is it?
topic Image and Video Processing
Computers and Society
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.13595