Effective detective quantum efficiency (eDQE) and effective noise equivalent quanta (eNEQ) for system optimization purposes in digital mammography

Effective detective quantum efficiency (eDQE) and effective noise equivalent quanta (eNEQ) were recently introduced to broaden the notion of DQE and NEQ by including system parameters such as focus blurring and system scatter rejection methods. This work investigates eDQE and eNEQ normalized for mean glandular dose (eNEQ _MGD) as a means to characterize and select optimal exposure parameters for a digital mammographic system. The eDQE was measured for three anode/filter combinations, with and without anti-scatter grid and for four thicknesses of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA). The modulation transfer function used to calculate eDQE and eNEQ was measured from an edge positioned at 20,40,60,70 mm above the table top without scattering material in the beam. The grid-in eDQE results for all A/F settings were generally larger than those for grid-out. Contrarily, the eNEQ _MGD results were higher for grid-out than gridin, with a maximum difference of 61% among all A/F combinations and PMMA thicknesses. The W/Rh combination gave the highest eNEQMGD for all PMMA thicknesses compared to the other A/F combinations (for grid-in and grid-out), supporting the results of alternative methods (e.g. the signal difference to noise ratio method). The eNEQ _MGD was then multiplied with the contrast obtained from a 0.2mm Al square, resulting in a normalized quantity that was higher for the W/Rh combination than for the other A/F combinations. In particular, the results for the W/Rh combination were greater for the grid-in case. Furthermore, these results showed close agreement with a non-prewhitened match filter with eye response model observer (d') normalized for MGD.