Evaluation of a Generative Adversarial Network to Improve Image Quality and Reduce Radiation-Dose during Digital Breast Tomosynthesis

In this study, we evaluated the improvement of image quality in digital breast tomosynthesis under low-radiation dose conditions of pre-reconstruction processing using conditional generative adversarial networks [cGAN (pix2pix)]. Pix2pix pre-reconstruction processing with filtered back projection (FBP) was compared with and without multiscale bilateral filtering (MSBF) during pre-reconstruction processing. Noise reduction and preserve contrast rates were compared using full width at half-maximum (FWHM), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), and structural similarity (SSIM) in the in-focus plane using a BR3D phantom at various radiation doses [reference-dose (automatic exposure control reference dose: AECrd), 50% and 75% reduction of AECrd] and phantom thicknesses (40 mm, 50 mm, and 60 mm). The overall performance of pix2pix pre-reconstruction processing was effective in terms of FWHM, PSNR, and SSIM. At ~50% radiation-dose reduction, FWHM yielded good results independently of the microcalcification size used in the BR3D phantom, and good noise reduction and preserved contrast. PSNR results showed that pix2pix pre-reconstruction processing represented the minimum in the error with reference FBP images at an approximately 50% reduction in radiation-dose. SSIM analysis indicated that pix2pix pre-reconstruction processing yielded superior similarity when compared with and without MSBF pre-reconstruction processing at ~50% radiation-dose reduction, with features most similar to the reference FBP images. Thus, pix2pix pre-reconstruction processing is promising for reducing noise with preserve contrast and radiation-dose reduction in clinical practice.