Mammograph equipped with an integrated device for taking stereotaxic photographs and a method of utilization of said mammograph
First Claim
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1. A mammograph comprising means for maintaining opposite to a breast to be radiographically examined on the one hand an x-ray tube and on the other hand a breast support plate and a radiographic image receiver, wherein said maintaining means comprise two arms as follows:
- a first arm which is capable of moving in rotation about a first axis at right angles to said first arm, said first arm supporting the x-ray tube, for orienting the radiation of said tube,a second arm which is capable of moving in rotation about a second axis at right angles to said second arm and in a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the first arm, said second arm being adapted to carry the support plate and the image receiver,the second arm being provided with means for forming a variable space between the breast support plate and the image receiver so as to ensure that a first image of the breast projected on the image receiver and corresponding to a first orientation of the radiation of the x-ray tube is juxtaposed on said image receiver with a second image of the same breast projected under the same conditions but corresponding to a second orientation of the radiation of said x-ray tube, these different orientations being obtained in respect of different positions of the first arm with respect to the second arm.
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Abstract
In order to solve handling problems which arise during use of a mammograph, the x-ray tube of the mammograph is carried by the end of an arm which rotates about an axis at right angles to the arm. The other elements of the mammograph are carried by another arm which is placed in a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the first arm and rotates about the same axis. It is shown that, by moving the image receiver away from the breast support plate and by utilizing a parallax effect, it is possible to take stereotaxic photographs without entailing any need to displace either the breast support plate or the image receiver or even a radiation-sensitive film placed in a stationary position within the image receiver.
125 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A mammograph comprising means for maintaining opposite to a breast to be radiographically examined on the one hand an x-ray tube and on the other hand a breast support plate and a radiographic image receiver, wherein said maintaining means comprise two arms as follows:
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a first arm which is capable of moving in rotation about a first axis at right angles to said first arm, said first arm supporting the x-ray tube, for orienting the radiation of said tube, a second arm which is capable of moving in rotation about a second axis at right angles to said second arm and in a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the first arm, said second arm being adapted to carry the support plate and the image receiver, the second arm being provided with means for forming a variable space between the breast support plate and the image receiver so as to ensure that a first image of the breast projected on the image receiver and corresponding to a first orientation of the radiation of the x-ray tube is juxtaposed on said image receiver with a second image of the same breast projected under the same conditions but corresponding to a second orientation of the radiation of said x-ray tube, these different orientations being obtained in respect of different positions of the first arm with respect to the second arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for taking stereotaxic photographs of a breast with a mammograph, wherein said method involves the following steps:
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a breast to be radiographically examined is placed between an x-ray tube and a breast support plate, an image receiver equipped with a radiation-sensitive film is placed downstream of said breast support plate, said image receiver is moved away from said breast support plate and is subsequently fixed to said support plate, the x-ray tube is inclined on one side of the normal to the breast support plate while maintaining said support plate and said image receiver in a stationary position, a photograph is taken, the x-ray tube is inclined on another side with respect to said normal without modifying either the position of the radiation-sensitive film or the image receiver, and a second photograph is taken, the general image thus obtained is developed, said image being projected in two juxtaposed images on a single radiation-sensitive film introduced in the image receiver.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeGeneral Electric CGR SA (General Electric Company)
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Original AssigneeGeneral Electric CGR SA (General Electric Company)
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InventorsRouchy, Didier, Gilleron, Alain, Romeas, Rene
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Primary Examiner(s)Church, Craig E.
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Application NumberUS07/497,970Time in Patent Office424 DaysField of Search378/37, 378/196US Class Current378/37CPC Class CodesA61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i....
