Volpara Imaging Software

Volpara Imaging Software is an adjunctive tool that analyzes raw digital mammography and tomosynthesis data to quantify volumetric breast density and aid in BI-RADS categorization. The software generates density maps and calculates various metrics, including fibroglandular tissue volume and focal density, to provide objective data supporting clinical assessment of breast tissue composition.

Volpara Imaging Software is an application designed to assist healthcare professionals in the assessment of breast tissue composition using raw data from digital breast x-ray systems, including tomosynthesis. Its primary methodology involves processing these raw images to calculate and quantify volumetric breast density by generating density maps where each pixel value represents the thickness of fibroglandular tissue; from this, it determines volumetric breast density as a ratio of fibroglandular tissue to total breast volume estimates, providing numerical values and a BI-RADS breast density category (4th or 5th Edition) as adjunctive information. The software outputs various quantitative density-map based statistics such as the volume of fibroglandular tissue, total breast volume, average and maximum thickness of dense tissue, and 'focal density'—the maximum volume of dense tissue above any 1cm² square region. Enhancements in version 1.5.6 include using focal density information for BI-RADS categorization, support for data acquired with Hologic’s SmartCurve paddle, the output of image quality assessment metrics, and an option to highlight density scores above a specified threshold. Volpara is explicitly not an interpretive or diagnostic aid, but serves as adjunctive information for MQSA-qualified interpreting physicians making the final assessment.

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• Q1. How does the Volpara software algorithm precisely differentiate and quantify fibroglandular tissue volume versus total breast volume from raw digital x-ray and tomosynthesis data?; What is the clinical significance of incorporating 'focal density' into the BI-RADS categorization, and how does this differ from assessments based purely on overall volumetric density?; How does the software's compatibility with Hologic’s SmartCurve paddle affect the accuracy and consistency of density measurements compared to images acquired with standard compression paddles?; What specific 'image quality assessment metrics' are output by Volpara 1.5.6, and how should clinicians interpret these metrics to ensure the reliability of the breast density assessment?; Can the quantitative outputs, such as specific volumetric measurements and density map characteristics, be used for longitudinal tracking of breast density changes in patients, and what is the test-retest reliability of these metrics?