Evaluation of the Scattering Profile of Radiation in Digital Mammography Using Monte Carlo Simulations

Abstract

In the process of image formation in mammography, scattered radiation reaching the receptor results in degradation of the final image quality and resolution, compromising diagnosis. Understanding the distribution pattern of scattered radiation is crucial for the development and enhancement of processing techniques aimed at correcting mammographic images. In this study, Monte Carlo simulations were employed to map the distribution of scattered radiation in digital mammography, considering breast thicknesses ranging from 2 to 8 cm and tube potentials ranging from 24 to 32 kV. With the results obtained from the simulations, it was possible to estimate the scatter-to-primary ratio (SPR) and mean radial extension (k) of the scatter profile. The results indicate that thicker breasts generate greater deposition of scattered radiation on the image receptor, and such breasts exhibit a scattering curve that decays along the radial distance less steeply than thinner breasts. Both SPR and k values show increasing behavior with breast thickness. Thus, it is observed that breast thickness is the factor that most contributes to changing the scattered radiation profile, with thicker breasts being most affected by scattering. These findings may be useful for the development of new image correction techniques aimed at improving diagnostics using mammography.