MAMMOGRAPHY METHOD AND MAMMOGRAPHY APPARATUS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A mammography method to generate x-ray images of both breasts of a patient, comprising the steps of:
- providing a support unit with two x-ray detectors on opposite sides of the support unit, each of said x-ray detectors having a radiation detection surface that is flat, with the respective radiation detection surfaces being parallel to each other and facing away from each other;
relatively positioning a patient and said support unit to cause said support unit to be located between the breasts of the patient with the detection surfaces being respectively adjacent the respective breasts of the patient;
compressing each breast of the patient against the respective detection surface adjacent thereto; and
exposing the breasts of the patient to x-ray radiation while both breasts are simultaneously pressed against the respective detection surfaces, and acquiring image data from each breast with the respective x-ray detectors, and emitting said image data at respective outputs of the respective x-ray detectors.
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Abstract
In a mammography method and a mammography apparatus to generate x-ray images of a breast, a support unit is positioned between the breasts. In the support unit two x-ray detectors are arranged with acquisition surfaces that are flat and parallel to one another. The acquisition surfaces face away from one another and respectively toward one of the breasts. At least one x-ray image of each breast is acquired while both breasts are simultaneously pressed against the support unit.
50 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A mammography method to generate x-ray images of both breasts of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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providing a support unit with two x-ray detectors on opposite sides of the support unit, each of said x-ray detectors having a radiation detection surface that is flat, with the respective radiation detection surfaces being parallel to each other and facing away from each other; relatively positioning a patient and said support unit to cause said support unit to be located between the breasts of the patient with the detection surfaces being respectively adjacent the respective breasts of the patient; compressing each breast of the patient against the respective detection surface adjacent thereto; and exposing the breasts of the patient to x-ray radiation while both breasts are simultaneously pressed against the respective detection surfaces, and acquiring image data from each breast with the respective x-ray detectors, and emitting said image data at respective outputs of the respective x-ray detectors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14)
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7. A mammography apparatus to generate x-ray images of both breasts of a patient, comprising:
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one x-ray source; a support unit with two x-ray detectors on opposite sides of the support unit, each of said x-ray detectors having a radiation detection surface that is flat, with the respective radiation detection surfaces being parallel to each other and facing away from each other; said support unit being configured for relative positioning thereof with respect to cause said support unit to be located between the breasts of the patient with the detection surfaces being respectively adjacent the respective breasts of the patient; compression plates that respectively compress each breast of the patient against the respective detection surface adjacent thereto; and said x-ray source being operable to expose the breasts of the patient to x-ray radiation while both breasts are simultaneously pressed against the respective detection surfaces, and said respective x-ray detectors acquiring image data from each breast and emitting said image data at respective outputs of the respective x-ray detectors. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A mammography apparatus to generate x-ray images of both breasts of a patient, comprising:
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two x-ray sources; a support unit with two x-ray detectors on opposite sides of the support unit, each of said x-ray detectors having a radiation detection surface that is flat, with the respective radiation detection surfaces being parallel to each other and facing away from each other; said support unit being configured for relative positioning thereof with respect to a patient to cause said support unit to be located between the breasts of the patient with the detection surfaces being respectively adjacent the respective breasts of the patient; compression plates that respectively compress each breast of the patient against the respective detection surface adjacent thereto; and said two x-ray sources being operable to respectively expose the breasts of the patient to x-ray radiation while both breasts are simultaneously pressed against the respective detection surfaces, and the respective x-ray detectors acquiring image data from each breast with the respective x-ray radiation from the two x-ray detectors, and emitting said image data at respective outputs of the respective x-ray detectors, said image data for one of the breasts being obtained from one of the two x-ray sources, and the image data for the other breast being obtained with the other of the two x-ray sources. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification