• Dosimetry
• Image quality
• Mammography
• Tomosynthesis

This thesis work is part of the RADIOMA project (RADiazioni IOnizzanti in MAmmografia - ionising radiations in mammography) which is founded by Fondazione Pisa - Technological and Scientific Research Sector.
The main objective of the RADIOMA project was to develop a simple method to estimate the average absorbed dose of patients undergoing mammographic examinations. In order to achieve this aim, a phantom model was proposed for digital mammography (DM) and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). A dosimetric index, the “Average Absorbed Breast Dose” (2ABD), was suggested as a simple estimate of the average absorbed dose in a homogeneous water-equivalent phantom that simulate the breast. Monte Carlo simulations were also employed to support the proposed approach and investigate new perspectives. In this thesis work, the equations developed in our approach are introduced and the model employed to derive the 2ABD formula is explained in detail.
Additionaly, a systematic image quality analysis of synthesised mammograms reconstructed from DBT acquisitions in comparison to DM was carried out. Several image quality parameters related to noise, contrast and spatial resolution properties of the images were evaluated and compared. This thesis describes the physical approach as well as the main results obtained from the abovementioned analysis.