Large area array, single exposure digital mammography
First Claim
1. A mammography machine having an x-ray source, a breast compression plate, and an image receptor, wherein the image receptor is a digital image receptor, comprising:
- a. a plurality of electronic imaging charge coupled devices arranged in a multi-dimensional array sufficiently large to image an entire breast; and
b. an optical system optically coupled to a surface of each electronic imaging charge coupled device;
the optical system having an image receptor surface configured to be substantially free of gaps between portions of the optical system coupled to surfaces of different electronic imaging charge coupled devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A unique digital imaging device includes the digital imager, a mammography machine including the digital imager, a method for processing the digital image obtained by the digital imager, a local area network (LAN) comprising a number of mammography machines and one or more work stations, and a wide area network (WAN) for transmitting digital images to remote locations. The digital imager according to the present invention comprises a large area, single exposure digital imaging device is provided that allows a number of electronic imagers to be butted together to form an array of electronic imagers large enough to image an entire breast in a single exposure. A preferred embodiment of the digital imager comprises an optical system, such as fiber optic bundles, optically coupled with the surface of the electronic imager. The optical systems may have a surface larger than the electronic sensors, and may be butted together to provide a gap-free imaging surface.
79 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A mammography machine having an x-ray source, a breast compression plate, and an image receptor, wherein the image receptor is a digital image receptor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of electronic imaging charge coupled devices arranged in a multi-dimensional array sufficiently large to image an entire breast; and b. an optical system optically coupled to a surface of each electronic imaging charge coupled device;
the optical system having an image receptor surface configured to be substantially free of gaps between portions of the optical system coupled to surfaces of different electronic imaging charge coupled devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A mammography machine having an x-ray source, a breast compression plate, and an image receptor, wherein the image receptor is a digital image receptor, comprising:
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a. a plurality of electronic imaging charge coupled devices arranged in a multi-dimensional array sufficiently large to image an entire breast; and b. an optical system optically coupled to a surface of each electronic imaging charge coupled device;
the optical system having an image receptor surface configured to be substantially free of gaps between portions of the optical system coupled to surfaces of different electronic imaging charge coupled devices;
the portions of the optical system coupled to surfaces of different electronic imaging charge coupled devices having a taper intermediate the image receptor surface and the surfaces of the electronic imaging charge coupled devices.
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Specification