Object characterization simulator for estimating compressed breast during mammography

The measurement of the thickness of a compressed breast during the mammography test is necessary in order to calculate the glandular dose in mammography procedures, in an analysis of risk/benefit, given that the target organ in these procedures is highly sensitive to ionising radiation. However, mammography is a test of utmost importance in diagnosis. In theory, it may be possible to calculate the thickness of the compressed breast through the measurements of the focus object distance by using projections of radio opaque objects fixed to the compression tray. The facilities of the Laboratory of Applied Radioprotection to Mammography - LARAM were used for this study, as well as breast simulators with well defined thickness, in the assembly of the techniques for the measurement of the thickness of the compressed breast. The results showed that it is possible to determine this thickness through calculations and simulators through this method which is susceptible to be adequate to the dosimetry. (author)