Dedicated apparatus and method for emission mammography

• US 5,519,221 A
• Filed: 06/20/1994
• Issued: 05/21/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Naviscan Inc. (Compania Mexicana de Radiologia CGR SA de CV)
• Original Assignee: Ansel M. Schwartz, Christopher J. Thompson, Frederick Mako, Irving Weinberg
• Inventors: Weinberg, Irving
• Primary Examiner(s): Willis, Davis L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANIG, RICHARD E
• Application Number:
  US08/262,737
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 250/363.02, 250/363.03, 250/363.04, 378/37, 378/25, 378/26
• US Class Current: 250/363.02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/037 Emission tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0414 with compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5235 combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5247 combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/161 Applications in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting apparatus for radiation diagnosis A61B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2985 In depth localisation, e.g. using positron emitters; Tomographic imaging (longitudinal and transverse section imaging; apparatus for radiation diagnosis sequentially in different planes, steroscopic radiation diagnosis); using external radiation sources A61B6/02

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus for examining a body part. The apparatus comprises a mechanism for immobilizing and compressing the body part. The apparatus also comprises a mechanism for providing an internal anatomical image of the body part and a mechanism for detecting single gamma-rays emitted by a radiotracer infiltrated into the body part. The detecting mechanism is disposed in an adjacent relationship with the mechanism for providing an internal anatomic image so that the body part remains in the same position during and between anatomic and radiotracer imaging. In one embodiment, the detecting mechanism includes a detector module disposed on one side of the immobilizing mechanism. The detector module preferably has at least one array of gamma ray sensitive material in communication with a position detector. In another embodiment, the detecting mechanism includes a pair of detector modules disposed one on each side of the immobilizing mechanism. The present invention is also an apparatus for examining a body part which comprises a mechanism for immobilizing and compressing the body part and a mechanism for providing a stereotactic internal anatomical image of the body part. The apparatus also comprises a mechanism for providing a stereotactic physiological image of the body part in an adjacent relationship with the mechanism for providing an internal anatomic image such that the body part remains in the same position during and between stereotactic anatomic and radiotracer imaging.

Claims

1. An apparatus for examining a body part comprising:

means or a mechanism for immobilizing and compressing the body part; and

means or a mechanism for detecting single gamma-rays emitted by a radiotracer infiltrated into the body part.

2. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the detecting means or mechanism includes a detector module disposed on one side of the immobilizing means or mechanism, said detector module having at least one array of gamma ray sensitive material in communication with a position detector.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the detecting means or mechanism includes a pair of detector modules disposed one on each side of the immobilizing means or mechanism, each detector module having at least one array of gamma-ray sensitive material in communication with a position detector.

4. An apparatus as described in claim 1 including means or a mechanism for providing an internal anatomical image of the body part.

5. An apparatus for examining a body part comprising:

means or a mechanism for immobilizing and compressing the body part;

means or a mechanism for providing a stereotactic internal anatomical image of the body part; and

means or a mechanism for providing a stereotactic radiotracer physiological image of the body part in an adjacent relationship with said means or mechanism for providing an internal anatomic image such that the body part remains in the same position during and between anatomic and radiotracer imaging.

6. An apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein the means or mechanism for obtaining a stereotactic physiological image includes a pair of detector modules disposed one on each side of the immobilizing means or mechanism.

7. An apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein the detector modules can be positioned to travel angularly about the body part to provide projection images of the body part from at least two different viewing angles.

8. An apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein detector modules are stationary with respect to the body party and obtain multiple projection views of the body part.

9. An apparatus for examining a body part comprising:

means or a mechanism for immobilizing and compressing the body part; and

means or a mechanism for providing a stereotactic radiotracer physiological image of the body part.

10. An apparatus as described in claim 9 wherein the means or mechanism for obtaining a stereotactic radiotracer physiological image includes a pair of detector modules disposed one on each side of the immobilizing means or mechanism.

11. An apparatus as described in claim 9 wherein the detector modules can be positioned to travel angularly about the body part to provide projection images of the body part from at least two different viewing angles.

12. An apparatus as described in claim 9 wherein detector modules are stationary with respect to the body party and obtain multiple projection views of the body part to form a stereotactic image.

13. A method for examining a body part comprising the steps of:

immobilizing the body part in a preferred position such that the body part is compressed; and

obtaining at least one radiotracer physiological image of the body part.

14. A method as described in claim 13 wherein the obtaining step includes the step of obtaining stereotactic radiotracer physiological images of the body part.

15. A method as described in claim 14 wherein before the immobilizing step, there is the step of injecting the patient with a radiotracer which emits gamma rays and the step of obtaining a stereotactic physiological image includes the step of detecting gamma-rays with a pair of detector modules disposed one on each side of immobilizing means or mechanism.

16. A method as described in claim 15 wherein before the step of obtaining a stereotactic physiological image, there is the step of obtaining a stereotactic internal anatomical image of the body part.

17. A method as described in claim 14 wherein after the step of obtaining a stereotactic physiological image, there is the step of directing a biopsy needle or gun into the body part using the stereotactic physiological image for three-dimensional guidance.

18. A method as described in claim 17 wherein after the step of obtaining a stereotactic image, there is the step of operating on the patient using the obtained stereotactic image for guidance and localization.

19. A method as described in claim 13 including after the step of obtaining the image, there is the step of operating on the patient using the image for guidance, localization, and confirmation that any tumor of the body part has been removed completely.

20. A method as described in claim 19 including after the operating step, there can be the step of obtaining at least one image of surgical specimens to identify the presence of and the borders of tumors.