X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices – Source support – Including object support or positioning
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-01
2002-04-23
Kim, Robert H. (Department: 2882)
X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices
Source support
Including object support or positioning
C378S021000, C378S022000, C378S023000, C378S037000, C378S195000, C378S197000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06375352
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to mammography, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for readily obtaining and processing tomosynthesis data for x-ray examination of a patient's breasts.
Mammography is a low-dose x-ray procedure that creates one or more images of a patient's breasts desirable for detection of early stages of cancer.
FIG. 1
illustrates one example of a prior art mammography machine
10
. Mammography machine
10
generally includes an x-ray tube
12
attached to an arm
14
, which arm
14
is pivotally attached to a support
16
, and a film plate
18
attached to an arm
20
, which arm
20
is also pivotally attached to support
16
. X-ray tube
12
and arm
14
, and film plate
18
and arm
20
, are counterbalanced so that x-ray tube
12
and film plate
18
may be easily manually pivoted, upwardly and downwardly, and locked in position at different angular orientations.
A typical mammography procedure takes approximately thirty minutes. The procedure generally includes obtaining two images of each of the patient's breasts, one from above and one from the side. For example, separate images are obtained of each of the patient's breasts with x-ray tube
12
and film plate
18
disposed in a vertically orientated arrangement along axis A (i.e., cranial-caudal) as shown in FIG.
1
. In addition, separate images are obtained of each the patient's breasts with x-ray tube
12
and film plate
18
oriented on an angle, e.g., along axis B
1
(i.e., medio-lateral oblique) for one of the patient's breasts, and along axis B
2
for the patient's other breast.
During the procedure, the patient's breast is compressed between a compression paddle
22
, e.g., a piece of plastic, and film plate
18
to flatten the breast making the breast easier to be imaged. In obtaining the images, either from above or from the side, x-ray tube
12
is aligned perpendicular or normal to film plate
18
. A physician or radiologist then reviews the images of the breast, i.e., mammograms, to identify any breast cancer.
While the above described procedure is one of the best methods of detecting early forms of breast cancer, it is still possible for the detection of breast cancer to be missed by a physician or radiologist reviewing the mammograms. For example, breast cancer may be missed by being obscured by radiographically dense, fibroglandular breast tissue.
Tomosynthesis breast imaging, in which a plurality of images are acquired as the x-ray source is moved in an arc relative to a stationary digital detector, has been studied in an effort to detect early forms of breast cancer. By shifting and adding the plurality of images, it is possible to reconstruct any plane in the breast being imaged that is parallel to the detector.
Numerous drawbacks have prevented the widespread implementation of tomosynthesis breast imaging. For example, the procedure requires in combination, an x-ray source that limits x-ray exposure to the patient and a digital x-ray detector. Also, the procedure requires that the digital x-ray detector and the patient's breast be maintained in a stationary or fixed position while the x-ray tube is moved and positioned for obtaining the plurality of images.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus and method for implementing tomosynthesis breast imaging in which an x-ray source is quickly and smoothly moved and positioned relative to an x-ray detector to obtain a plurality of images of a patient's breast.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus and method are provided for obtaining tomosynthesis data of an object such as a patient's breast in which the apparatus includes a radiation source, a radiation detector, and an actuator operably connectable to the radiation source. The actuator is operable to controllably allow the radiation source to move under the influence of gravity from a first position to a second position relative to the radiation detector, wherein radiation emitted by the radiation source at a plurality of positions between the first position and the second position and passing through the object is detectable by the radiation detector.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5386447 (1995-01-01), Siczek
patent: 5651004 (1997-07-01), Klotz, Jr. et al.
patent: 5654997 (1997-08-01), Brownell et al.
patent: 5805664 (1998-09-01), Whipple, III et al.
patent: 5872828 (1999-02-01), Niklason et al.
Niklason et al., “Digital Tomosynthesis in Breast Imagin”, Radiology, Vol. 205, No. 2, pp. 399-406 (1997).
Hewes Ralph Allen
Yavuz Mehmet
Barber Therese
General Electric Company
Hale Lester R.
Ingraham Donald S.
Kim Robert H.
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