Full field mammography with tissue exposure control, tomosynthesis, and dynamic field of view processing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system selectively operable in each of a tomosynthesis mode and a mammography mode, comprising:
- an x-ray tube, an x-ray imaging receptor, and a breast immobilizer, wherein (i) the x-ray tube and x-ray imaging receptor are decoupled from the breast immobilizer when the system is operating in said tomosynthesis mode but (ii) the tube, receptor and immobilizer are mounted to move as a unit between different mammography imaging positions when the system is operating in said mammography mode; and
an anti-scatter grid mounted between the breast immobilizer and the x-ray imaging receptor;
said anti-scatter grid remaining between the source and the receptor to suppress x-ray scatter both when the system is operating in said mammography mode and when the system is operating in said tomosynthesis mode;
said system being configured to operate selectively in;
(i) said tomosynthesis mode in which the x-ray source selectively emits imaging x-rays from different tomosynthesis imaging positions that are at different angles relative to the breast immobilizer, to thereby obtain a multiplicity of projection tomosynthesis images Tp related to respective ones of said different tomosynthesis imaging positions, and(ii) said mammography mode in which the x-ray source emits imaging x-rays while the x-ray source, the x-ray imaging receptor and the breast immobilizer do not move with respect to each other to thereby obtain a projection mammogram Mp related to one of said mammography imaging positions.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mammography system using a tissue exposure control relying on estimates of the thickness of the compressed and immobilized breast and of breast density to automatically derive one or more technic factors. The system further uses a tomosynthesis arrangement that maintains the focus of an anti-scatter grid on the x-ray source and also maintains the field of view of the x-ray receptor. Finally, the system finds an outline that forms a reduced field of view that still encompasses the breast in the image, and uses for further processing, transmission or archival storage the data within said reduced field of view.
196 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A system selectively operable in each of a tomosynthesis mode and a mammography mode, comprising:
-
an x-ray tube, an x-ray imaging receptor, and a breast immobilizer, wherein (i) the x-ray tube and x-ray imaging receptor are decoupled from the breast immobilizer when the system is operating in said tomosynthesis mode but (ii) the tube, receptor and immobilizer are mounted to move as a unit between different mammography imaging positions when the system is operating in said mammography mode; and an anti-scatter grid mounted between the breast immobilizer and the x-ray imaging receptor; said anti-scatter grid remaining between the source and the receptor to suppress x-ray scatter both when the system is operating in said mammography mode and when the system is operating in said tomosynthesis mode; said system being configured to operate selectively in; (i) said tomosynthesis mode in which the x-ray source selectively emits imaging x-rays from different tomosynthesis imaging positions that are at different angles relative to the breast immobilizer, to thereby obtain a multiplicity of projection tomosynthesis images Tp related to respective ones of said different tomosynthesis imaging positions, and (ii) said mammography mode in which the x-ray source emits imaging x-rays while the x-ray source, the x-ray imaging receptor and the breast immobilizer do not move with respect to each other to thereby obtain a projection mammogram Mp related to one of said mammography imaging positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
Specification