X-ray mammography with tomosynthesis

• US 8,452,379 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hologic Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hologic Incorporated
• Inventors: DeFreitas, Kenneth F., Ren, Baorui, Ruth, Chris, Shaw, Ian, Smith, Andrew P., Stein, Jay A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weatherby, Ellsworth
• Application Number:
  US12/879,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20110069808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 378/37, 600/407, 600/425, 600/426, 600/427, 600/429
• US Class Current: 600/427
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/025 Tomosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/464 involving a plurality of displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/482 involving multiple energy imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography

Abstract

A method and system for producing tomosynthetic images of a patient'"'"'s breast. An x-ray source that delivers x-rays through a breast immobilized and compressed between a compression paddle and a breast platform and form an image at a digital x-ray receptor panel. Multiple x-ray images are taken as the x-ray source and the receptor move relative to the immobilized breast. In one preferred embodiment, the x-ray source travels from −15° to +15°. The source can travel in an arc around the breast while the receptor travels linearly while remaining parallel and at the same distance from the breast platform. The sets of x-ray image data taken at different angles are combined to form tomosynthetic images that can be viewed in different formats, alone or as an adjunct to conventional mammograms.

Claims

1. A combo x-ray system for acquiring 2D and 3D images of the breast in a single compression, comprising:

an x-ray source, a flat panel digital x-ray imager, and a breast support and a compression paddle between the source and the imager, said compression paddle configured for selectively compressing the breast against the breast support;

a motion control configured for the source relative to a patient'"'"'s breast while the breast remains immobilized in compression between the breast support and the compression paddle, and selectively energizing the source to emit x-rays through the breast to the imager at selected angular positions of the source relative to the breast;

a processor configured to control the imager to derive therefrom projection images of the compressed breast when the source is energized at each of said positions, wherein (i) at least one of the projection images is a mammogram image taken at a same or similar x-ray dose to the breast as a conventional mammogram and (ii) each of a multiplicity of the other projection images is a tomosynthesis projection image taken at an x-ray dose to the breast that is substantially less than that for a conventional mammogram;

said processor being further configured to process the multiplicity of the tomosynthesis projection images into tomosynthesis slice images representing slices of the patient'"'"'s breast conforming to planes that are selectively the same or different from that of the mammogram image; and

a display configured for displaying said mammogram image and one or more of said tomosynthesis slice images selectively side by side or superimposed.

2. The system as in claim 1 in which the display is configured to display the mammogram image and the one or more tomosynthesis slice images on the same screen.

3. The system as in claim 1 including an anti-scatter grid and a grid support configured for selectively placing the grid in the path of x-rays from the breast to the imager and out of said path.

4. The system as in claim 1 in which a grid support is configured to place an anti-scatter grid in the path of x-rays from the breast to the imager while the imager is providing image data for the mammogram image but out of said path when the imager is providing image data for at least some of the tomosynthesis projection images.

5. A system for acquiring and displaying 2D and 3D breast x-ray images in combination, comprising:

a breast support and an x-ray source at one side of the breast support and a flat panel x-ray imager at a different side of the breast support;

a control configured for moving the source relative to a compressed patient'"'"'s breast on the breast platform and selectively energizing the source to emit x-rays through the breast to the imager in the course of the source movement and selectively causing the imager to output image data for positions at which the source is energized, thereby causing the imager to acquire 2D mammogram image data and tomosynthesis projection image data;

wherein the tomosynthesis projection image data for a each of a multiplicity of said positions is taken at an x-ray dose to the breast that is substantially less than that for a conventional mammogram;

a processor configured to process the imager output and thereby form one or more 2D mammogram images and one or more 3D tomosynthesis slice images for slices of the compressed breast conforming to selected planes through the breast; and

a display configured to display in combination and concurrently both one or more of said mammogram images and one or more of said 3D tomosynthesis slice images.

6. A system for taking x-ray mammogram images and tomosynthesis projection images of a patient'"'"'s breast using the same equipment, comprising:

an x-ray source, a flat panel x-ray imager and a breast support positioned between the source and the imager;

a source support configured for selectively moving the source relative to the breast support;

a control configured for selectively energizing the source in a mammogram position thereof relative to the breast support and causing the imager to provide image data for a mammogram image of a breast on the breast support, and selectively energizing the source at tomosynthesis positions thereof relative to the breast support and causing the imager to provide tomosynthesis image data for tomosynthesis projection images of a breast on the breast support;

wherein the tomosynthesis image data for each of a multiplicity of said positions is taken at an x-ray dose to the breast that is substantially less than that for a conventional mammogram;

a processor configured to process the mammogram image data to form one or more screening mammogram images and further configured to process the tomosynthesis image data to form one or more diagnostic tomosynthesis images; and

a display configured for selectively displaying one or more of said screening mammogram images and a plurality of said tomosynthesis images.

7. The system as in claim 6 in which the display displays both at least one of the mammogram images and at least several of the tomosynthesis images concurrently.

8. The system as in claim 6 in which the image data for the mammogram and tomosynthesis positions is acquired during a single compression of a patient'"'"'s breast.

9. A single combo system for selectively taking a mammogram image or tomosynthesis images of a patient'"'"'s breast, comprising:

an x-ray source, a flat panel x-ray imager and a breast support positioned between the source and the imager;

a source support configured for selectively moving the source relative to the breast;

a control configured for selectively energizing the source (i) in at least one mammogram position thereof relative to the breast support and causing the imager to provide mammogram image data for at least one mammogram image of a patient'"'"'s breast on the breast support, and (ii) at tomosynthesis positions thereof relative to the breast support and causing the imager to provide tomosynthesis projection image data for tomosynthesis images of a breast on the breast support;

wherein the tomosynthesis projection image data for each of a multiplicity of said tomosynthesis images is taken at an x-ray dose to the breast that is substantially less than that for a conventional mammogram;

a processor configured to selectively process the mammogram image data to form at least one mammogram image and the tomosynthesis projection image data to form one or more tomosynthesis images; and

a display configured for selectively displaying said mammogram image and one or more of said tomosynthesis images or previously taken mammogram or tomosynthesis images.

10. The system as in claim 9 in which the display is configured to display both at least one of the mammogram images and at least several of the tomosynthesis images concurrently.

11. The system as in claim 9 in which the image data for the mammogram and tomosynthesis positions is acquired during a single compression of a patient'"'"'s breast.

12. A method of taking a mammogram image and/or tomosynthesis images using the same equipment and selectively displaying the mammogram and/or tomosynthesis images on the same display, comprising;

providing an x-ray source that selectively moves relative to a patient'"'"'s breast while the breast remains compressed, and a flat panel x-ray imager receiving x-rays from the source through the breast when the source is energized;

selectively placing the source in at least one mammogram position relative to the breast and in plural tomosynthesis positions relative to the breast, and selectively energizing the source in said positions and extracting image data from the imager in response to x-rays from the source impinging thereon after passing through the breast;

processing the image data extracted from the imager to form at least one mammogram image and plural tomosynthesis images;

wherein the x-ray dose to the breast at each of a multiplicity of the tomosynthesis positions is substantially less than that for a conventional mammogram; and

selectively displaying the image or images formed by the processor.

13. The method as in claim 12 in which the displaying comprises displaying both mammogram and tomosynthesis images side-by-side or superimposed.

14. The method as in claim 12 in which the displaying comprises displaying at the same time and side-by-side or superimposed both tomosynthesis images acquired with said equipment and at least one previously acquired mammogram image.