X-RAY MAMMOGRAPHY WITH TOMOSYNTHESIS
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for producing tomosynthetic images of a patient'"'"'s breast. An x-ray source that delivers x-rays through a breast immobilized and compressed between a compression paddle and a breast platform and form an image at a digital x-ray receptor panel. Multiple x-ray images are taken as the x-ray source and the receptor move relative to the immobilized breast. In one preferred embodiment, the x-ray source travels from −15° to +15°. The source can travel in an arc around the breast while the receptor travels linearly while remaining parallel and at the same distance from the breast platform. The sets of x-ray image data taken at different angles are combined to form tomosynthetic images that can be viewed in different formats, alone or as an adjunct to conventional mammograms.
16 Citations
86 Claims
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1-56. -56. (canceled)
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57. A breast x-ray imaging system to obtain two types of breast images of a patient'"'"'s breast in a single breast compression, wherein a first type of the multiple types of breast images is a mammogram image and a second type of the multiple types of breast images are a plurality of tomosynthesis images:
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a breast platform and a compression paddle configured to compress therebetween the patient'"'"'s breast for the single breast compression; a flat panel digital x-ray receptor; an x-ray source disposed opposite the breast platform and the compression paddle and configured to be selectively energized to emit x-rays at at least three positions over an angular range, wherein one of the at least three positions is substantially normal to the breast platform; an electronic control system configured for interaction with the x-ray source, wherein the electronic control system is configured to selectively energize the x-ray source at the at least three positions over the angular range; and an anti-scatter grid positioned between the breast platform and the flat panel digital x-ray receptor, the anti-scatter grid configured for selective retraction between a first grid position and a second grid position; wherein the x-ray source is configured for emission of x-rays at each of the at least three positions over the angular range to obtain the second type of breast images, and wherein the x-ray source is configured for emission of x-rays at only the substantially normal position to obtain the first type of breast images, wherein an x-ray dose to the patient'"'"'s breast at each of the at least three positions to obtain the second type of breast images is lower than an x-ray dose to the patient'"'"'s breast at the only the substantially normal position to obtain the first type of breast images, and wherein the two types of breast images are obtained in the single breast compression. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. An x-ray system for acquiring multiple types of breast images, including a conventional mammogram image and a tomosynthesis image in a single compression of a breast, the x-ray system comprising:
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an x-ray source disposed on a rotatable arm; a breast platform; a digital x-ray receptor disposed below the breast platform; a compression paddle disposed between the x-ray source and the receptor; at least one processor communicatively coupled to the x-ray system; and memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method comprising; compressing the breast between the compression paddle and the breast platform; rotating automatically the x-ray source along a range of angular positions; emitting x-rays at each of the angular positions of the x-ray source along the range, wherein the angular positions include (i) a conventional mammogram position, and (ii) a plurality of tomosynthesis positions, wherein at least one of the plurality of tomosynthesis positions is the same as the conventional mammogram position, taken during the single compression of the breast; and receiving image data when the x-ray source is emitting x-rays at the conventional mammogram position and at the plurality of tomosynthesis positions. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. An x-ray system for acquiring multiple types of breast images, including a conventional mammogram image and a tomosynthesis image in a single compression of a breast, the x-ray system comprising:
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an x-ray source disposed on a rotatable arm; a breast platform; a digital x-ray receptor disposed below the breast platform; a compression paddle disposed between the x-ray source and the receptor; means for automatically compressing and releasing the breast between the compression paddle and the breast platform; means for rotating automatically the x-ray source along a range of angular positions; means for emitting x-rays at angular positions of the x-ray source along the range of angular positions, wherein the angular positions include (i) a conventional mammogram position, and (ii) a plurality of tomosynthesis positions, wherein at least one of the plurality of tomosynthesis positions is the same as the conventional mammogram position, taken during the single compression of the breast; means for receiving image data when the x-ray source is emitting x-rays at the conventional mammogram position and at the plurality of tomosynthesis positions; and means for processing the image data to obtain the conventional mammogram image and the tomosynthesis image.
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80. A method of acquiring multiple types of breast images, including a conventional mammogram image and a tomosynthesis image of a breast using the same equipment, the method comprising;
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compressing the breast between a compression paddle and a breast platform; automatically placing an x-ray source in a plurality of positions along a range of angular positions while the breast remains compressed; automatically moving an x-ray receptor that receives x-rays from the x-ray source through the breast when the x-ray source is energized; energizing the x-ray source in the plurality of positions; receiving image data from the receptor in response to x-rays from the x-ray source impinging thereon after passing through the breast; processing the image data to obtain the conventional mammogram image and the tomosynthesis image; and automatically releasing the breast from compression after selectively energizing the x-ray source in the plurality of positions. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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Specification