Enhanced high resolution breast imaging device and method utilizing non-ionizing radiation of narrow spectral bandwidth
First Claim
1. An apparatus for obtaining mammography images of a sub-portion of a human breast using non-ionizing radiation comprising:
- a source of non-ionizing radiation of relatively narrow spectral bandwidth disposed such that the radiation will be incident on a sub-portion of the breast to be scanned, a collimator disposed distal from said source to enable placement of the sub-portion of the breast to be scanned between said source and said collimator, a radiation detector disposed so as to detect radiation having passed through said collimator, and an optically transparent structure of suitable index of refraction for enabling compression of the sub-portion of the breast, the optically transparent structure including a breast compression surface configured to contact and compress the sub-portion of the breast, wherein the breast compression surface has a surface area less than 100 cm2.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for high resolution breast imaging using collimated non-ionizing radiation in the near ultraviolet, visible, infrared and microwave regions (i.e. “light”) rather than ionizing x-radiation. The incident collimated light is transmitted through and backscattered out of a breast and loses intensity due to the properties of the breast materials in the beam path. Normal and diseased breast materials may exhibit comparatively distinct characteristics when exposed to different wavelengths of light and thereby be differentiated. Collimation can be used to control the level of scattered radiation which reaches the detector. Transmission and/or backscattered measurements can be acquired from a number of perspectives. Radiation coupling materials can be employed during image acquisition to enhance radiation coupling into and out of the breast as well as well as providing desirable absorption, scattering, heat removal, lubrication, and tissue compensation properties. The effects of the pattern of a structured collimator on image quality can be reduced by moving the structured (patterned) collimator in a reciprocating manner during image acquisition. Additional scatter reduction and/or improved sensitivity can be attained by compressing a region of the breast using contoured and/or flat compression plates of various sizes. An acoustic field can be introduced into a volume of breast tissue, altering its optical qualities. These changes can be recorded by intersecting an optical field with the acoustic field, providing spatial information and tissue characterization.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for obtaining mammography images of a sub-portion of a human breast using non-ionizing radiation comprising:
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a source of non-ionizing radiation of relatively narrow spectral bandwidth disposed such that the radiation will be incident on a sub-portion of the breast to be scanned, a collimator disposed distal from said source to enable placement of the sub-portion of the breast to be scanned between said source and said collimator, a radiation detector disposed so as to detect radiation having passed through said collimator, and an optically transparent structure of suitable index of refraction for enabling compression of the sub-portion of the breast, the optically transparent structure including a breast compression surface configured to contact and compress the sub-portion of the breast, wherein the breast compression surface has a surface area less than 100 cm2. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for obtaining mammography images of a sub-portion of a human breast using non-ionizing radiation, comprising:
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(1) selecting an optically transparent structure for compressing the breast, wherein the optically transparent structure is specifically selected having a small breast compression surface configured to compress only a sub-portion of the breast, wherein the volume of the sub-portion that is to be compressed has a volume substantially less than the volume of the remaining uncompressed portion of the breast;
(2) positioning the optically transparent structure proximate the breast;
(3) compressing the sub-portion of the breast with the optically transparent structure;
(4) irradiating the sub-portion of the breast with non-ionizing radiation of a relatively narrow spectral bandwidth;
(5) allowing the radiation to transmit through the sub-portion of the breast;
(6) reducing the intensity of radiation scattered by the sub-portion of the breast by collimating the radiation with at least one of an air gap, a mask, fiber optics, amplified fiber optics, a focused lens, a light pipe, a waveguide, a focused array, a narrow spectral bandwidth filter, a mechanical aperture, a polarization filter, a reciprocating patterned collimator, and an optical coupling material;
(7) detecting the radiation after it has passed through the sub-portion of the breast and has been collimated; and
(8) using the detected radiation after it has passed through the sub-portion of the breast to form a mammography image of the portion of the breast to be scanned. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification