File Formats

breastCompress requires several input files that characterize the uncompressed breast phantom. Several types of intermediate temporary files are generated during the compression process in addition to the final compressed breast phantom output files. In the following filename descriptions nnnnnnnn represents the seed number specified as a command line option to breastCompress.

Input Files

The breastCompress input files are created using breastPhantom. breastCompress expects the following files to be present in the input directory specified on the command line:

p_nnnnnnnn.raw.gz
The raw phantom volume stored as 8-bit unsigned integers in a gzip archive. There is no file header.
p_nnnnnnnn.mhd
A metaImage header file containing information about the phantom data stored in the file p_nnnnnnnn.raw.gz
p_nnnnnnnn.loc
This file lists candidate locations for insertion of masses and calcifications. Each location is where a TDLU has been randomly generated.

Intermediate Files

These are temporary files generated during the compression process. They are not automatically deleted once the breast compression is complete. Compression is an iterative process and depending on the desired compressed thickness and breast shape, several remeshing steps may be required. Each remeshing step will create new intermediate files.

febio_nnnnnnnn_m.feb
This is an XML file generated by breastCompress that is passed as input to FeBiO. A new file will be generated for each remeshing step. Minimally m=0 will be present.
febio_nnnnnnnn_m.log
This is a log file generated by FeBiO. It contains information regarding the convergence of the finite element compression procedure.
febio_nnnnnnnn_m.xplt
This file contains the results of the FeBiO compression process. The compression process and produced stress/strain and displacement maps can be visualized by opening this file with PostView, which is available for download from the FeBiO website.
p_nnnnnnnn_m.raw.gz
Intermediate voxelization of the breast phantom during compression at remeshing step m
p_nnnnnnnn_m.mhd
A metaImage header file for the intermediate voxelization contained in the associated .raw.gz file
p_ nnnnnnnn_m.loc
Intermediate TDLU locations

Output Files

Final output file have formats indentical to the input files with prefix pc_ to designate they represent a compressed phantom

pc_nnnnnnnn.raw.gz
The raw compressed phantom volume stored as 8-bit unsigned integers in a gzip archive.
pc_nnnnnnnn.mhd
A metaImage header file containing information about the phantom data stored in the file pc_nnnnnnnn.raw.gz
pc_nnnnnnnn.loc
Final post-compression TDLU locations.