PCI radiation image processing apparatus, PCI radiation image detecting apparatus, PCI radiation image outputting apparatus, and PCI image diagnosis supporting apparatus

• US 7,155,048 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Konica Corporation (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Corporation (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohara, Hiromu
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jingge
• Assistant Examiner(s): Azarian, Seyed
• Application Number:
  US11/142,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20050213801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 382128-134, 382/154, 382/156, 382/169, 382/172, 382/181, 382/203, 382209-215, 382/224, 382/237, 382/255, 382/260, 382/274, 382/276, 382/291, 382/294, 382/300, 382/305, 378/28, 378/37, 378/98.6, 378/98.9, 378/146, 378/197, 250/370.09, 250/492.1
• US Class Current: 382/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4021 involving movement of the focal spot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4233 using matrix detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/484 involving phase contrast X-ray imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10116 X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30068 Mammography; Breast
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/40 using histogram techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/92 based on global image properties

Abstract

A phase contrast radiographic image processing apparatus, comprises: a management information storing section to store management information regarding a radiography; and an image processing section to apply an image processing onto a phase contrast radiographic image produced by the phase contrast radiography, wherein the image processing section determines an image processing condition based on the management information stored in the management information storing section and conducts the image processing based on the determined image processing condition.

Claims

1. A mammography apparatus for radiographing a breast of a patient, comprising:

an X-ray tube to emit an X-ray downward,

an X-ray tube holding section to hold the X-ray tube,

a breast holding section to hold a breast, the breast holding section located below the X-ray tube holding section, wherein when a focal spot size of the X-ray tube is D(μ

m), wherein a distance R1 between the X-ray tube and the breast holding section satisfies the following formula;

10≧

R1>

(D−

7)/200

a detector holding section to hold a detector to detect an X-ray image of the breast, the detector holding section located below the breast holding section with a distance R2 so as to conduct an enlarging radiography of the breast, and

a supporting section to support and integrate the X-ray tube holding section, the breast holding section, and the detector holding section into one body.

2. The mammography apparatus of claim 1, wherein the breast holding section comprises a flat base on which the breast is placed and the X-ray tube is located vertically above the flat base at an almost patient-side end portion of the flat base.

3. The mammography apparatus of claim 1, wherein the breast holding section comprises a flat base on which the breast is placed and

wherein when a breast is placed on the flat base, the X-ray tube is located vertically above the flat base at a breast wall-side of the breast.

4. The mammography apparatus of claim 1, wherein the focal spot size D is 10 μ

m to 1000 μ

m.

5. The mammography apparatus of claim 4, wherein the focal spot size D is 30 μ

m to 300 μ

m.

6. The mammography apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distance R2 between the breast holding section and the detector holding section is 0.15 m or more.