X-ray mammography/tomosynthesis of patient's breast
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of imaging a patient'"'"'s breast with x-rays comprising:
- immobilizing a patient'"'"'s breast on a substantially horizontal breast support surface between an x-ray source and a flat panel digital x-ray imager, said source comprising a focal spot from which an x-ray beam emanates;
moving the focal spot through different imaging positions relative to the immobilized breast over a trajectory that is always generally to one lateral side of a normal to a center of the breast support surface; and
imaging the breast with x-rays using the source and imager at each of said imaging positions.
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Abstract
A breast x-ray system and method using tomosynthesis imaging in which the x-ray source generally moves away from the patient'"'"'s head. The system may include an operation mode in which it additionally takes mammogram image data.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of imaging a patient'"'"'s breast with x-rays comprising:
- immobilizing a patient'"'"'s breast on a substantially horizontal breast support surface between an x-ray source and a flat panel digital x-ray imager, said source comprising a focal spot from which an x-ray beam emanates;
moving the focal spot through different imaging positions relative to the immobilized breast over a trajectory that is always generally to one lateral side of a normal to a center of the breast support surface; and
imaging the breast with x-rays using the source and imager at each of said imaging positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
- immobilizing a patient'"'"'s breast on a substantially horizontal breast support surface between an x-ray source and a flat panel digital x-ray imager, said source comprising a focal spot from which an x-ray beam emanates;
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35. A system for imaging a patient'"'"'s breast with x-rays comprising:
- a flat panel digital x-ray imager and an x-ray source that comprises a focal spot from which an x-ray beam emanates when the source is energized;
a breast support and compression paddle immobilizing a patient'"'"'s breast between the x-ray source and the x-ray imager, said breast support having a CC imaging position in which it supports the breast on a substantially horizontal surface;
a motorized gantry selectively moving the focal spot through different imaging positions relative to the breast, over a trajectory that is generally to one side of a normal to a center of the breast support when the support is in its CC imaging position, wherein the x-ray source remains generally to one side of a patient'"'"'s head thereby requiring little or no head tilting by the patient during imaging; and
an imaging control selectively energizing the source and imager to image the breast with x-rays using the source and imager at each of said imaging positions. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
- a flat panel digital x-ray imager and an x-ray source that comprises a focal spot from which an x-ray beam emanates when the source is energized;
Specification