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A Phase-Contrast breast CT facility based on a high-resolution CdTe photon-counting detector is under development at Elettra, the Italian Synchrotron Radiation (SR) facility in Trieste. The CT system exploits propagation-based phasecontrast imaging and phase-retrieval algorithm. The voxel size is 57×57×50 μm3 and the delivered MGDs, about 5 mGy, are comparable with clinical breast CT systems. In the present contribution, the comparisons between histological breast cancers and full breast CT images are presented from samples of breast mastectomy. The high resolution of the breast CT images and low noise due to the phase contrast allow a very fine matching between X-ray CT and histology at acceptable delivered doses.

Purpose: The first clinical facility for synchrotron radiation (SR) mammography is now operative at the SYRMEP beamline of ELETTRA, the SR facility in Trieste, Italy. The mammographic facility and the preliminary results of the clinical trial are presented in this contribution. Method and Materials: The distance between the SR source and the patient is about 30 m; the main features of the X-ray beam are: monochromaticity at ~0.2% bandwith in the energy range 8-35 keV, photon flux of about 10 8 ph/(mm 2 s) and dimensions of 21 cm x 3.5 mm at the compressed breast. An innovative dosimetric system allows the on-line dose control during the examination. The images are acquired by scanning the patient, in prone position, in front of the stationary laminar beam; the average scanning time is about 10 s. The detector is a screen film system; it is at ~2 m from the breast in order to fulfil the so-called Phase Contrast (PhC) requirements. The breast thickness and glandularity defines the optimal beam energy for each examination. The patients are enrolled by radiologists, after routine examinations, on the basis of BI-RADS classification, according the research program approved by the local Ethical Committee. Results: This communication concerns the first 9 patients underwent the SR PhC mammography; the images match the quality obtained in previous in vitro studies. With reference to conventional mammography the diagnostic quality of the radiological images is better, without increasing the delivered dose to the patient.