Hologic, Inc.

Other

General Electric Company

Baorui Ren

Jay A Stein

Andrew P Smith

Zhenxue Jing

Christopher Ruth

Ian Shaw

Loren Thomas Niklason

Kenneth F Defreitas

Ken Defreitas

Thomas A Farbizio

Kevin E Wilson

Kenneth F DeFreitas

Tom Farbizio

Alan W Rego

William Robert Ross

Chris Ruth

Jeffrey Harold Paige

Thomas Deyoung

David Wolff

Kenneth Brooks

Jing Zhenxue

Ken Brooks

Andrew Paul Smith

Andrew Smith

Zhenxeu Jing

A method of imaging a breast of a patient with a breast imaging system includes supporting the breast on a breast support platform. A compressive force is applied to the breast with a breast immobilization element including a rigid substrate, a foam compressive element secured below the rigid substrate, and a force sensor. The foam compressive element is in contact with the breast during application of the compressive force. A force signal is detected at the force sensor based on the applied compressive force. A compressed thickness of the breast proximate the force sensor is determined based at least in part on the detected force signal at the force sensor. An automatic exposure control is set based at least in part on the determined thickness of the breast proximate the force sensor.

Systems and methods for measuring thickness of foam compressive elements

A method of imaging a breast compressed with a foam paddle includes emitting an x-ray energy from an x-ray source towards the breast and the foam paddle having a plurality of upper markers and a plurality of lower markers, wherein the plurality of lower markers are movable relative to the upper markers. The x-ray energy is detected at a detector disposed opposite the breast from the x-ray source. An image of the compressed breast is generated based on the detected x-ray energy. At least one of the plurality of upper markers and at least one of the plurality of lower markers is identified in the image. A thickness of the compressed breast at a plurality of thickness locations is determined, wherein each of the plurality of thickness locations corresponds to at least one of the plurality of lower markers.

Systems and methods for measuring deflection of foam breast compression paddle

Systems and methods for x-ray imaging a patient's breast in combinations of dual-energy, single-energy, mammography and tomosynthesis modes that facilitate screening for and diagnosis of breast abnormalities, particularly breast abnormalities characterized by abnormal vascularity.

System and method for dual energy and/or contrast enhanced breast imaging for screening, diagnosis and biopsy

Methods and systems for identifying internal motion of a breast of a patient during an imaging procedure. The method may include compressing the breast of the patient in a mediolateral oblique (MLO) position. During compression of the breast, a first tomosynthesis MLO projection frame for a first angle with respect the breast is acquired and a second tomosynthesis MLO projection frame for a second angle with respect to the breast is acquired. Boundaries of the pectoral muscle are identified in the projection frames and boundary representations are generated. A difference between the first representation and the second representation is determined. A motion score is then generated based on at least the difference between the first representation and the second representation.

Motion detection for internal breast tissue in tomosynthesis

The present application discloses a tomosynthesis system and method that combines high dose gain maps directly, or high-resolution components of high dose gain maps, with low resolution components of low dose gain maps at a plurality of imaging parameters, to produce high quality gain map efficiently at the plurality of imaging parameters, to perform gain corrections to x-ray images.

Tomosynthesis gain calibration and image correction

A multi-mode system and method for imaging a patient's breast with x-rays in one or more of a CT mode, a narrow-angle tomosynthesis mode, a wide angle tomosynthesis mode, and a mammography mode, using essentially the same equipment, on one or more compressions or immobilizations of the breast.

Upright x-ray breast imaging with a CT mode, multiple tomosynthesis modes, and a mammography mode

The housing for a breast imaging system contains an x-ray source and is configured to rotate relative to the breast. The housing for an x-ray receptor has a breast support platform and extends from an arm assembly which rotates independently from the x-ray source housing. A compression arm assembly connected to the arm assembly moves between a first linear position proximate the x-ray receptor housing and a second linear position distal the x-ray receptor housing. A pair of extension arms are pivotably connected to a strut which removably secures a compression paddle to the compression arm assembly substrate. The extension arms move between a first pivoted position substantially aligned with the strut and a second pivoted position disposed at an angle to the strut.

Systems and methods for pivoting compression paddles

A system for multi-mode breast x-ray imaging which comprises a compression arm assembly for compressing and immobilizing a breast for x-ray imaging, an x-ray tube assembly, and an x-ray image receptor is provided. The system is configured for a plurality of imaging protocols and modes.

Integrated multi-mode mammography/tomosynthesis x-ray system and method

Systems and methods for breast x-ray tomosynthesis that enhance spatial resolution in the direction in which the breast is flattened for examination. In addition to x-ray data acquisition of 2D projection tomosynthesis images ETpover a shorter source trajectory similar to known breast tomosynthesis, supplemental 2D images ETpare taken over a longer source trajectory and the two sets of projection images are processed into breast slice images ETr that exhibit enhanced spatial resolution, including in the thickness direction of the breast. Additional features include breast CT of an upright patient's flattened breast, multi-mode tomosynthesis, and shielding the patient from moving equipment.

X-ray breast tomosynthesis enhancing spatial resolution including in the thickness direction of a flattened breast

A method and an apparatus for estimating a geometric thickness of a breast in mammography/tomosynthesis or in other x-ray procedures, by imaging markers that are in the path of x-rays passing through the imaged object. The markings can be selected to be visible or to be invisible when the composite markings/breast image is viewed in clinical settings. If desired, the contribution of the markers to the image can be removed through further processing. The resulting information can be used determining the geometric thickness of the body being x-rayed and thus setting imaging parameters that are thickness-related, and for other purposes. The method and apparatus also have application in other types of x-ray imaging.

X-ray imaging with x-ray markers that provide adjunct information but preserve image quality

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 &#x2212;15&#xb0; to +15&#xb0;. 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.

Growing community of inventors

Andover, MA, United States of America

Baorui Ren