X-ray mammography/tomosynthesis of patient's breast
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of imaging a patient'"'"'s breast with x-rays comprising:
- immobilizing a patient'"'"'s breast between an x-ray source and a flat panel digital x-ray imager, said source comprising a focal spot from which an x-ray beam emanates;
moving the focal spot through different imaging positions relative to the breast over a trajectory that is generally to one lateral side of a normal to a center of the imager when said trajectory includes a CC imaging position; and
imaging the breast with x-rays using the source and imager at each of said imaging positions.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A breast x-ray system and method using tomosynthesis imaging in which the x-ray source generally moves away from the patient'"'"'s head. The system may include an operation mode in which it additionally takes mammogram image data.
-
Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A method of imaging a patient'"'"'s breast with x-rays comprising:
-
immobilizing a patient'"'"'s breast between an x-ray source and a flat panel digital x-ray imager, said source comprising a focal spot from which an x-ray beam emanates;
moving the focal spot through different imaging positions relative to the breast over a trajectory that is generally to one lateral side of a normal to a center of the imager when said trajectory includes a CC imaging position; and
imaging the breast with x-rays using the source and imager at each of said imaging positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 40)
-
-
35. A system for imaging a patient'"'"'s breast with x-rays comprising:
-
a flat panel digital x-ray imager and an x-ray source that comprises a focal spot from which an x-ray beam emanates when the source is energized;
a breast support and compression paddle immobilizing a patient'"'"'s breast between the x-ray source and the x-ray imager;
a motorized gantry selectively moving the focal spot through different imaging positions relative to the breast, over a trajectory that is generally to one side of a normal to a center of the imager when said trajectory includes a CC imaging position; and
an imaging control selectively energizing the source and imager to image the breast with x-rays using the source and imager at each of said imaging positions. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A system for imaging a patient'"'"'s breast with x-rays comprising:
-
an x-ray source and a flat panel digital x-ray imager;
a breast support and compression paddle immobilizing a patient'"'"'s breast between the x-ray source and the x-ray imager;
a motorized gantry selectively moving the source through different imaging positions relative to the breast;
a shield for the patient'"'"'s head, said shield being below the source and offset laterally from a normal to a center of the imager when the source is in a CC imaging position, and said source clearing the shield when moving through said different imaging positions.
-
Specification