Objective:

To investigate the visualization of microcalcification in microcalcification models with different tissue thicknesses and microcalcification sizes by using grating-based X-ray imaging.

Methods:

Tricalcium phosphate was used to simulate breast microcalcification and fresh lean pork was used to simulate breast tissues. Grating-based X-ray imaging was performed in the pork with different thickness (2

4 and 5 cm) and different particle sizes (16 mesh

22 mesh

26 mesh

30 mesh and 40 mesh). The contrast of absorption imaging and dark

field imaging under different conditions was compared.

Results:

The contrast of dark-field imaging was better than that of absorption imaging in the models with different thicknesses (

P

0.000 1). The contrast of absorption imaging decreased significantly while that of dark-field imaging decreased slightly with increasing pork thickness. The contrast of darkfield imaging was also better than that of absorption imaging in the models with different micro calcification sizes (

P

0.000 1). The contrast of absorption imaging decreased significantly while that of dark-field imaging decreased slightly with decreasing micro calcification size.

Conclusion:

Dark-field imaging could improve the contrast and visualization of microcalcifications

and has the potential to improve the detection rate of microcalcifications. Gratingbased imaging has a broad application prospect in the detection and diagnosis of microcalcification in breast cancer.