arXiv subjects

P. Oliva

Publications and source records attributed to P. Oliva.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2003

GPCALMA: a Grid Approach to Mammographic Screening

The next generation of High Energy Physics experiments requires a GRID approach to a distributed computing system and the associated data management: the key concept is the "Virtual Organisation" (VO), a group of geographycally distributed users with a common goal and the will to share their resources. A similar approach is being applied to a group of Hospitals which joined the GPCALMA project (Grid Platform for Computer Assisted Library for MAmmography), which will allow common screening programs for early diagnosis of breast and, in the future, lung cancer. HEP techniques come into play in writing the application code, which makes use of neural networks for the image analysis and shows performances similar to radiologists in the diagnosis. GRID technologies will allow remote image analysis and interactive online diagnosis, with a relevant reduction of the delays presently associated to screening programs.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2003

Diagnostic performance of radiologists with and without different CAD systems for mammography

The purpose of this study is the evaluation of the variation of performance in terms of sensitivity and specificity of two radiologists with different experience in mammography, with and without the assistance of two different CAD systems. The CAD considered are SecondLookTM (CADx Medical Systems, Canada), and CALMA (Computer Assisted Library in MAmmography). The first is a commercial system, the other is the result of a a research project, supported by INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Italy); their characteristics have been already reported in literature. To compare the results with and without these tools, a dataset composed by 70 images of patients with cancer (biopsy proven) and 120 images of healthy breasts (with a three years follow up) has been collected. All the images have been digitized and analysed by two CAD, then two radiologists with respectively 6 and 2 years of experience in mammography indipendently made their diagnosis without and with, the support of the two CAD systems. In this work sensitivity and specificity variation, the Az area under the ROC curve, are reported. The results show that the use of a CAD allows for a substantial increment in sensitivity and a less pronounced decrement in specificity. The extent of these effects depends on the experience of the readers and is comparable for the two CAD considered.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2003

A Computer Aided Detection system for mammographic images implemented on a GRID infrastructure

The use of an automatic system for the analysis of mammographic images has proven to be very useful to radiologists in the investigation of breast cancer, especially in the framework of mammographic-screening programs. A breast neoplasia is often marked by the presence of microcalcification clusters and massive lesions in the mammogram: hence the need for tools able to recognize such lesions at an early stage. In the framework of the GPCALMA (GRID Platform for Computer Assisted Library for MAmmography) project, the co-working of italian physicists and radiologists built a large distributed database of digitized mammographic images (about 5500 images corresponding to 1650 patients) and developed a CAD (Computer Aided Detection) system, able to make an automatic search of massive lesions and microcalcification clusters. The CAD is implemented in the GPCALMA integrated station, which can be used also for digitization, as archive and to perform statistical analyses. Some GPCALMA integrated stations have already been implemented and are currently on clinical trial in some italian hospitals. The emerging GRID technology can been used to connect the GPCALMA integrated stations operating in different medical centers. The GRID approach will support an effective tele- and co-working between radiologists, cancer specialists and epidemiology experts by allowing remote image analysis and interactive online diagnosis.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2003

GPCALMA, a mammographic CAD in a GRID connection

Purpose of this work is the development of an automatic system which could be useful for radiologists in the investigation of breast cancer. A breast neoplasia is often marked by the presence of microcalcifications and massive lesions in the mammogram: hence the need for tools able to recognize such lesions at an early stage. GPCALMA (Grid Platform Computer Assisted Library for MAmmography), a collaboration among italian physicists and radiologists, has built a large distributed database of digitized mammographic images (at this moment about 5500 images corresponding to 1650 patients). This collaboration has developed a CAD (Computer Aided Detection) system which, installed in an integrated station, can also be used for digitization, as archive and to perform statistical analysis. With a GRID configuration it would be possible for the clinicians tele- and co-working in new and innovative groupings ('virtual organisations') and, using the whole database, by the GPCALMA tools several analysis can be performed. Furthermore the GPCALMA system allows to be abreast of the CAD technical progressing into several hospital locations always with remote working by GRID connection. We report in this work the results obtained by the GPCALMA CAD software implemented with a GRID connection.

physics.med-ph↗