Thursday, July 10, 2025 7/10/2025

Breast Cancer Detection and Imaging using Analyzer-less X-ray Interferometry

Award Number: R21EB029026
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE Of BIOMEDICAL IMAGING & BIOENGINEERING
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/10/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2025

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Breast Cancer Detection and Imaging using Analyzer-less X-ray Interferometry - We propose a novel X-ray interferometry imaging system which is suitable for screening mammography. This Multi-Contrast Mammography System with Modulated Phase Gratings (MCMS-MPG) provides 3 complementary types of images – conventional attenuation, phase-contrast and dark-field (small-angle-scatter) – all processed from a single scan with an amount of dose delivered to the patient that is comparable to that of a standard screening mammogram. The key innovation that makes this screening interferometry imaging system possible is the modulated phase grating (MPG) which makes high-quality X-ray interference fringes observable by clinical X-ray detectors even at compact distances (<70cm) without the fluence absorbing analyzer-grating required for other advanced X-ray interferometry systems. While the key scientific premise of our system is application independent, in this project we focus on breast cancer application because nearly 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. Screening and early diagnosis are key to reducing the death rate. Nearly 40 million women per year are screened using mammography, a widely accepted radiologic imaging method that uses low-energy X-rays. The current generation of mammography systems yields 92% sensitivity and 84-92% specificity. False positives require recalls for diagnostic imaging and biopsies, the costs of which run to $7.9 billion/year. Improving the sensitivity and specificity for screening will therefore have a significant combined impact on breast-cancer diagnosis as well as related healthcare costs. Our hypothesis is that the additional multi-contrast information that our system provides, obtained with no more dose to patient than with current screening mammograms, will yield higher sensitivity and specificity than those for standard screening mammograms. This project has two aims. Aim1: We will perform comprehensive simulations and develop an iterative recovery method to improve image quality. The recovery algorithm removes unwanted image degradation effects like incoherent scatter. The simulator and recovery algorithm will be validated experimentally using digital breast phantoms and an observer study by radiologists. Aim2: We will build a prototype version of our MCMS-MPG system and evaluate its performance on human breast pathology samples and mammography quality assurance phantoms, using radiation doses comparable to screening mammography systems. An observer study with radiologists will be used for this evaluation.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2025	2022	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY	202 HIMES HALL	BATON ROUGE	LA	70803	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health	000	3	6/11/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2024	2022	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY	202 HIMES HALL	BATON ROUGE	LA	70803	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health	000	3	4/8/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $140,728 )
2022	2022	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY	202 HIMES HALL	BATON ROUGE	LA	70803	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health	001	3	8/1/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$14,073
2022	2022	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY	202 HIMES HALL	BATON ROUGE	LA	70803	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health	000	3	3/8/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$126,655
														Subtotal = $140,728

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $140,728 )
2021	2021	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY	202 HIMES HALL	BATON ROUGE	LA	70803	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health	000	2	4/2/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$140,728
2021	2021	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY	202 HIMES HALL	BATON ROUGE	LA	70803	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health	001	2	5/27/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $140,728

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $243,128 )
2020	2020	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY	202 HIMES HALL	BATON ROUGE	LA	70803	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health	000	1	7/8/2020	NEW	$243,128
														Subtotal = $243,128

Grand Total All Awards = $524,584

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Breast Cancer Detection and Imaging using Analyzer-less X-ray Interferometry

Award Number: R21EB029026

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE Of BIOMEDICAL IMAGING & BIOENGINEERING

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/10/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2025

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