Tissue analysis apparatus

• US 6,175,117 B1
• Filed: 05/06/1998
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quanta Vision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Quanta Vision, Inc.
• Inventors: Lazarev, Pavel, Komardin, Oleg
• Primary Examiner(s): Ham, Seungsook
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANIG, RICHARD E
• Application Number:
  US09/073,720
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 250/363.06, 250/363.01, 378/88, 378/90
• US Class Current: 250/363.06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/483 involving scattered radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography

Abstract

An apparatus for analyzing substances within a breast is disclosed. The apparatus includes a breast positioning area and a beam forming apparatus having a geometry which forms breast penetrating radiation into at least one beam. A detector is configured to detect a scattering pattern of the portion of the breast which scatters radiation from the at least one beam when the breast is positioned within the breast positioning area.

Claims

1. An apparatus for analyzing substances within a breast, comprising:

one or more structures defining a breast receiving volume;

a beam forming apparatus having a geometry which forms breast penetrating radiation into a beam, directed toward the breast receiving volume so as to be incident on a breast positioned within the breast receiving volume, the beam configured to pass through the breast such that the breast scatters a scattered portion of the beam at a plurality of different scattering angles relative to the beam; and

a detector positioned to at least partially receive the scattered portion of the beam at multiple different scattering angles, the detector producing signals indicating the scattering angle and the intensity of the radiation which is scattered at the multiple different scattering angles by the breast.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a filter positioned to screen the detector from a transmitted portion of the beam, wherein the filter at least partially reduces an intensity of the transmitted portion of the beam.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the detector includes a plurality of detector elements which each provide a signal upon receiving a photon of the breast penetrating radiation.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the detector elements are positioned to receive photons of the breast penetrating radiation scattered outside the transmitted portion of the beam.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the position of the detector relative to the breast receiving volume is such that each detector element is associated with a particular range of scattering angles.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the displacement of the plurality of detector elements from the breast receiving volume is approximately 1 m.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the detector elements have a width of around 10 μ

m.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each signal is associated with a particular range of scattering angles.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each signal is associated with a particular range of scattering angles including approximately 2 arc seconds.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a position adjusting mechanism configured to move the detector relative to the breast receiving volume.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam forming apparatus and the detector is configured to be scanned over the breast receiving volume.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam forming apparatus and the detector is configured to be rotated about the breast receiving volume.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detector provides signals indicating the intensity the transmitted portion of the beam.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more structures includes a lower plate for supporting the breast.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more structures includes a lower plate for supporting the breast and an upper plated for compressing the breast.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more structures includes a cup.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam forming apparatus forms the breast penetrating radiation into one or more additional beams directed toward the breast receiving volume so as to be incident on the breast.

18. A apparatus for analyzing substances within a breast, comprising:

one or more structures defining a breast receiving volume;

a beam forming apparatus having a geometry which forms breast penetrating radiation into a plurality of beams, directed toward the breast receiving volume such that at least one of the plurality of beams is incident on a breast positioned within the breast receiving volume, the plurality of beams configured to pass through the breast such that the breast scatters a scattered portion of each beam at a plurality of different scattering angles relative to the beam from which the radiation is scattered;

a detector positioned to at least partially receive the scattered portion of one or more of the plurality of beams at multiple different scattering angles, the detector producing signals indicating the scattering angle and the intensity of the radiation from one or more of the plurality of beams which is scattered at the multiple different scattering angles by the breast.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a filter positioned to screen the detector from a transmitted portion of one or more of the plurality of beams, wherein the filter at least partially reduces an intensity of the transmitted portion of one or more of the plurality of beams.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the detector includes a plurality of detector elements which each provide a signal upon receiving a photon of the breast penetrating radiation.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the detector elements are positioned to receive photons of the breast penetrating radiation scattered outside the transmitted portion of the beam.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the position of the detector relative to the breast receiving volume is such that each detector element is associated with a particular range of scattering angles.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the displacement of the plurality of detector elements from the breast receiving volume is approximately 1 m.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the detector elements have a width of around 10 μ

m.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each signal is associated with a particular range of scattering angles.

26. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein each signal is associated with a particular ranges of scattering angles, the range of scattering angles covering 2 arc seconds.

27. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a position adjusting mechanism configured to move the detector relative to the breast receiving volume.

28. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the beam forming apparatus and the detector is configured to be scanned over the breast receiving volume.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the beam forming apparatus and the detector is configured to be rotated about the breast receiving volume.

30. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the detector provides signals indicating the intensity of a portion of the beam transmitted through a breast without being scattered by the breast.

31. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more structures includes a lower plate for supporting the breast.

32. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more structures includes a lower plate for supporting the breast and an upper plate for compressing the breast.

33. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more structures includes a cup.