• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2004.11c
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• pp.319-321
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• 2004

The average glandular dose (AGD) is determined by the breast entrance skin exposure, x-ray tube target material, beam quality (half-value layer), breast thickness, and breast composition. Almost breast cancer always arises in glandular breast tissue. As a result, the average radiation absorbed dose to glandular tissue is the preferred measure of the radiation risk associated with mammography. If the normalized average glandular dose is known, the average glandular dose can be computed from the product of the normalized average glandular dose and breast entrance skin exposure. In this study, AGD was calculated by the breast thickness and various x-ray energy (HVL) in 50% glandular 50% adipose breast by Mo.-Rh. assembly. AGD is 84 mrad in compressed 5 cm breast. These results show that as increasing the breast thickness, dose also increases. But as increasing the x-ray tube voltage, dose decreases because of high penetrating ratio through the object. But high tube voltage is reducing the subject contrast. From this result, we have to consider the trade-off between subject contrast of image and dose to the patient and choose proper x-ray energy range.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.19-23
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• 2013

Purpose : Automatic exposure system(AOP mode) in DR Mammography of the STD and DOSE apply to women of childbearing age, the average glandular dose(AGD) and image quality by comparing was to demonstrate the usefulness of DOSE. Materials and Methods : Of the under 40 age 108 patients who visit to our hospital and examined STD and DOSE mammography from January 2008 to July 2013. AGD was obtained by DICOM header information provided by GE Senographe DS. STD and DOSE images were evaluated with obtained patients, Image J program was compared by calculating the SNR. Results : The average AGD of DOSE mode was 0.99mGy, and which decreased by 19% comparing to that of STD mode which was 1.18mGy. The two the average AGDs indicated statistically significant difference(p< .01). The average SNR of STD was 40.26, DOSE displayed, and to 39.68 in, there was no statistical significance. Results : The average AGD using DOSE mode which is one of DR mammography AOP modes decreased by comparing to that of STD mode showing no difference in image quality. The use of DOSE is considered to be useful.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.261-270
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• 2009

The study examined the relationship between the compressed breast thickness and Average Glandular Dose (AGD) among 1,969 outpatients who went through breast X-ray in a university hospital for 10 months from July 1st, 2007 to April 30th, 2008. Then it analyzed the result acquired from 3,900 cases of Cranio-Caudal (CC) view, especially, when the breasts were compressed (13-15daN). The following is the conclusion driven from the relationship analysis. 1. The subjects aged in 40s and 50s were 2,679 out of 3,900 cases and this figure was 68.69% in all. 2. In terms of distribution depending on focus/filter, 41.0% was Mo/Mo, 34.8% was Mo/Rh, and 24.2% was Rh/Rh. 3. In terms of compressed breast thickness depending on focus/filter, the average thickness was 26.91 mm at Mo/Mo, 38.84 mm at Mo/Rh, and 48.80 mm at Rh/Rh. The average thickness of the entire cases was shown to be 36.27 mm. 4. AGD depending on focus/filter was 1.27 mGy at Mo/Mo, 1.55 mGy at Mo/Rh, and 1.42 mGy at Rh/Rh. The average glandular dose of the entire cases was shown to be 1.43 mGy. 5. The relationship of AGD depending on compressed breast thickness at Mo/Mo was y=0.0318x + 0.470 while it was y=0.0206x + 0.709 at Mo/Rh and y=0.0248x + 0.335 at Mo/Rh. It was highly influenced by the compressed breast thickness, however, more variation was detected at Mo/Mo depending on breast thickness.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2007

In recent years, mammography system is changed rapidly from conventional screen-film system to digital system for application to screening and diagnosis. Digital mammography system provides several advantages over screen-film mammography system. According to the information provided by the manufacturer, digital mammography system offers radiation dose reduction in comparison with screen-film mammography system, because of digital detector, particularly direct digital detector has higher x-ray absorption efficiency than screen-film combination or imaging plate(IP). We measured average glandular doses(AGD) in screen-film mammography(SFM) system with slow screen-film combination, computed mammography(CM) system, indirect digital mammography(IDM) system and direct digital mammography(DDM) system using brest tissue-equivalent phantom(glandularity 30%, 50% and 70%). The results were shown as follows : AGD values for DDM system were highest than those for other systems. Although automatic exposure control(AEC) mode was selected, the curve of the AGD values against thickness or glandularity increased significantly for the SFM system with the uniform target/filter(Mo/Mo) combination. Therefore, the AGD values for the high energy examinations were highest in the SFM system, and those for the low energy examinations were highest in the DDM system. But the curve of the AGD values against thickness and glandularity increased gently for CM system with the automatic selection of the target/filter combination (from Mo/Mo to Mo/Rh or from Mo/Rh to Rh/Rh), and the AGD values were lowest. Consequently, the parameters in mammography for each exposure besides detection efficiency play an important role in oder to estimate a patient radiation dose.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2009

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among korean woman. Therefore, the early detection activities of breast cancer such as breast self-examinations, clinical breast examinations, mammography are important. A yearly mammography examination has been recommended for women aged 40 and older for the early detection of breast cancer in asymptomatic periods. However, the glandular tissue of breast is the most radiation-sensitive tissue, and the determination of average glandular dose (AGD) forms an important part of the quality control of the mammographic systems. Because of the difficulty of estimating AGD directly, it is often estimated from the measurements of the incident air kerma and by applying the appropriate conversion factors. The primary objective of this study was to standardize the method of measuring AGD. The secondary objective was to evaluate the relationships between AGD per various composition and thickness of the breast using Monte Carlo simulations. As a result, we standardized the method of measuring AGD according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines (CoP: an international code of practice). Overall, AGD for mammographic practice in Korea was less than 3.0 mGy recommended by the Korea Food and Drug Adminstration (KFDA) protocol, and Korean Institute for Accreditation of Medical Image (KIAMI). The measured and simulated AGD for a given condition were calculated as 1.7 and 1.6 mGy, respectively. For the AGDs obtained, there was no significant difference between them. The simulated AGD was dependent on the fraction of glandular tissue of the breast. The AGD increases with increasing of the breast glandularity due to increasing absorption of low energy photons. The AGD also increases as a function of breast thickness. In conclusion, the results of this study could be used as a baseline to establish a reference level of radiation dose in mammography.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.293-298
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• 2012

In digital mammography, Exposure factor were automatically chosen using by measurement breast thickness and the density of mammary gland. It may cause a increase glandular dose. The purpose of this study was to investigate optimal image quality in digital magnification mammography to decrease radiation exposure of patient dose. Auto mode gives the best image quality however, AGD showed better image quality. Image quality of manual mode passed phantom test and SNR at 55% mAs of auto mode commonly used in the digital magnification mammography. Also it could reduce AGD. According to result, manual mode may reduce the unnecessary radiation exposure in digital magnification mammography.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.826-830
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• 2010

This study examined the effect of the scattering dose on the thyroid during a mammography examination. One hundred subjects for a mammography examination were enrolled in this study. The average glandular dose (AGD) and thyroid scattering dose (TSD) were measured. Statistical analysis was carried out using the percentage, t-test and co-variance. The mean radiation exposure to the breast and thyroid was $1.08{\pm}0.16$ and $0.14{\pm}0.04$ mGy, respectively. The percentage TSD to the AGD was 31.19%. There was no difference between the Rt. and Lt., and CC to MLO, and radiation dose to the TSD was 13.78% of the breast. Therefore, the volume of radiation exposure to the thyroid was 54.12% in a single routine mammography examination. These results suggest that the TSD was increased by increasing radiation dose to the breast. A thyroid protector is considered necessary to decrease the level of radiation exposure.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.293-299
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• 2005

In the present investigation, we analyzed the data of 1,318 patients (2,636 images) who underwent mammographic examinations and obtained the distribution of the patient age and compressed breast thickness. We measured also average glandular doses (AGD) as function of compressed breast thickness. In order to obtain the values of AGD, we measured half value layer (HVL) and tube output (mR/mAs) for each kVp and target/filter combination. Entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) was calculated from the tube output as measured for each voltage used under clinical conditions and from the tube loading (mAs). AGD per exposure were calculated by multiplying the ESAK values by the conversion factors tabulated by Dance. We obtained in this study the following conclusions. The mean value of compressed breast thickness for cranio-caudal (CC) view was 35.8mm and that for medio-lateral oblique (MLO) view was 43.3 mm. The mean value of AGD for CC view was 1.55 mGy and that for MLO view was 1.70 mGy. The AGD for MLO view was 0.15 mGy (10%) higher than that for CC view because the thickness for MLO view was on average 4.8 mm higher than that for CC view. The values of AGD increased with increasing compressed brest thickness. The increased AGD value was on average 0.34 mGy per 10 mm in the thickness ranges $10{\sim}80\;mm$, therefore differences between the AGD values of each thickness were relative large. Thus, it is considered to need limited doses for mammography with the upper end of exposure range at several different compressed brest thickness.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.322-328
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• 2015

This study evaluated the diagnostic value and compares the Mammogram Tomosynthesis, and as compared to the AGD, was studied with respect to utilization of Tomosynthesis. During January 2015 one month were enrolled patients admitted to 62 people present. The ACR phantom was used. AEC was set to be. kVp is fixed and given a step-by-step changing the mAs analyzed AGD. Tomosynthesis was superior to the distinction of breast lesions when compared with Mammogram showed a noticeable difference in contrast. AGD(Average Glandular Dose) was higher 0.33 mGy. However, in the long run, the dose was reduced. Tomosynthesis is therefore increase the diagnostic value of the breast, a examination that can reduce the dose.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.483-491
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• 2016

The conditions after exposure to digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis were analyzed. The examinations for the ACR phantom were done using manual exposure, not auto exposure, to examine image discrimination and patient dose. As a result, the following results were derived: In the CC exposure, the kVp was 2kVp higher while mAs decreased to 58.6% for the 3D tomography. Such result showed an approximate decrease of 60mAs. At that time, the patients' Average Glandular Dose (AGD) was 1.65mGy in 2D and 1.87mGy in 3D; thus, AGD of 3D was shown to have about 1.13times higher. The result of the manual exposure revealed a reduced mAs of up to 80%; there was no effect in the assessment standard in terms of image discrimination, resulting in more than 10 points. When mAs was reduced to 80% in the manual exposure for ACR phantom, AGD was decreased to 0.66mGy. The diagnostic values of images were maintained and patients dose was reduced in the manual exposure in the AEC condition for 3D. Since the use of 3D has recently increased, using the manual exposure has been recommended in this study to improve the diagnostic value, while, simultaneously reducing patients dose.