Mammographic apparatus
First Claim
1. A mammographic apparatus for imaging a patient'"'"'s breast area, comprising (A) a seating device for seating the patient;
- (B) an upper body support device for supporting the weight associated with an upper body of the patient seated on the seating device; and
(C) an image pickup device for picking up images of the breast area of the patient seated on the seating device and having the upper body supported by the upper body support device,wherein the upper body support device contacts and supports the peripheral portions of the breasts,wherein the upper body support device is a sternal plate contact device contactable by one of peripheral portions of the breast area of the patient'"'"'s sternal plate, andwherein the image pickup device is a gamma-ray detector for receiving the patient'"'"'s breast area and carrying out radiation image pickup by detecting gamma rays produced by a radioisotope introduced into the patient and having reached the breast area, and outputting gamma ray detection signals, said apparatus further comprising (I) an emission data collecting device for collecting emission data for RI distribution image acquisition according to the gamma ray detection signals outputted from the gamma-ray detector, and (J) an RI distribution image acquiring device for acquiring RI distribution images which are radiographic images of the patient'"'"'s breast area based on the emission data collected by the emission data collecting device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The mammographic apparatus of this invention maintains peripheral portions of the breast area Ma of the sternal plate of a patient M in contact with a sternal plate contact box 3 during radiography for RI distribution images of the breast area Ma of the patient M. Since the body motion accompanying respiration of the patient M shifts from the breast side to the back side, the motion of the breast area Ma of the patient M accompanying respiration of the patient M is suppressed easily. In addition, since radiography for RI distribution images is carried out with the patient M in a seated position seated on a seating unit 2, the apparatus is compact and can installed in a limited area, compared with an apparatus that carries out radiography for RI distribution images with a patient in a sleeping position lying on her back or on a side on a top board.
39 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A mammographic apparatus for imaging a patient'"'"'s breast area, comprising (A) a seating device for seating the patient;
- (B) an upper body support device for supporting the weight associated with an upper body of the patient seated on the seating device; and
(C) an image pickup device for picking up images of the breast area of the patient seated on the seating device and having the upper body supported by the upper body support device,wherein the upper body support device contacts and supports the peripheral portions of the breasts, wherein the upper body support device is a sternal plate contact device contactable by one of peripheral portions of the breast area of the patient'"'"'s sternal plate, and wherein the image pickup device is a gamma-ray detector for receiving the patient'"'"'s breast area and carrying out radiation image pickup by detecting gamma rays produced by a radioisotope introduced into the patient and having reached the breast area, and outputting gamma ray detection signals, said apparatus further comprising (I) an emission data collecting device for collecting emission data for RI distribution image acquisition according to the gamma ray detection signals outputted from the gamma-ray detector, and (J) an RI distribution image acquiring device for acquiring RI distribution images which are radiographic images of the patient'"'"'s breast area based on the emission data collected by the emission data collecting device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- (B) an upper body support device for supporting the weight associated with an upper body of the patient seated on the seating device; and
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9. A mammographic apparatus for imaging a patient'"'"'s breast area, comprising (A) a seating device for seating the patient;
- (B) an upper body support device for supporting the weight associated with an upper body of the patient seated on the seating device;
(C) an image pickup device for picking up images of the breast area of the patient seated on the seating device and having the upper body supported by the upper body support device; and
(K) a light source for emitting light to the patient'"'"'s breast area, wherein the image pickup device is a light detector for carrying out optical image pickup by detecting absorption light or fluorescence from the patient'"'"'s breast area irradiated by the light source, and outputting photodetection signals, said apparatus further comprising (L) a light distribution image acquiring device for acquiring light distribution images which are optical images of the patient'"'"'s breast area according to the photodetection signals outputted from the light detector,wherein the upper body support device contacts and supports the peripheral portions of the breasts, and wherein the upper body support device is a sternal plate contact device contactable by one of peripheral portions of the breast area of the patient'"'"'s sternal plate. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- (B) an upper body support device for supporting the weight associated with an upper body of the patient seated on the seating device;
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16. A mammographic apparatus for imaging a patient'"'"'s breast area, comprising (b) an upper body support device for supporting the weight associated with an upper body of a patient in a standing or seated position, and (c) an image pickup device for picking up images of the breast area of the patient in the standing, or seated position and having the upper body supported by the upper body support device,
wherein the upper body support device contacts and supports the peripheral portions of the breasts, wherein the upper body support device is a sternal plate contact device contactable by one of peripheral portions of the breast area of the patient'"'"'s sternal plate, and wherein the image pickup device is a gamma-ray detector for receiving the patient'"'"'s breast area and carrying out radiation image pickup by detecting gamma rays produced by a radioisotope introduced into the patient and having reached the breast area, and outputting gamma ray detection signals, said apparatus further comprising (i) an emission data collecting device for collecting emission data for RI distribution image acquisition according to the gamma ray detection signals outputted from the gamma-ray detector, and (j) an RI distribution image acquiring device for acquiring RI distribution images which are radiographic images of the patient'"'"'s breast area based on the emission data collected by the emission data collecting device.
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22. A mammographic apparatus for imaging a patient'"'"'s breast area, comprising (b) an upper body support device for supporting the weight associated with an upper body of a patient in a standing or seated position;
- (c) an image pickup device for picking up images of the breast area of the patient in the standing or seated position and having the upper body supported by the upper body support device; and
(k) a light source for emitting light to the patient'"'"'s breast area, wherein the image pickup device is a light detector for carrying out optical image pickup by detecting absorption light or fluorescence from the patient'"'"'s breast area irradiated by the light source, and outputting photodetection signals, said apparatus further comprising (l) a light distribution image acquiring device for acquiring light distribution images which are optical images of the patient'"'"'s breast area according to the photodetection signals outputted from the light detector,wherein the upper body support device contacts and supports the peripheral portions of the breasts, and wherein the upper body support device is a sternal plate contact device contactable by one of peripheral portions of the breast area of the patient'"'"'s sternal plate. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
- (c) an image pickup device for picking up images of the breast area of the patient in the standing or seated position and having the upper body supported by the upper body support device; and
Specification