Spectral shaping for photon counting digital mammography

The spectral shaping properties of conventional filters have been evaluated for a photon counting digital mammography system, and the result has been compared with the theoretical spectrum from a multi-prism X-ray lens (MPL). The absorption filters and the MPL were evaluated using a theoretical model of the system which has been verified experimentally. The spectral shaping performance is quantified with the spectral quantum efficiency (SQE), calculated as the polychromatic signal-difference-to-noise ratio (SDNR) squared over the optimal monochromatic SDNR squared at the same average glandular dose. The MPL increases the SQE by 25% compared to the investigated absorption filter when compared with a Tungsten anode. This translates into a potential dose reduction of 20% at maintained SDNR.