Fischer Imaging Corporation

Menachem Assa

Bernard W Siczek

Michael A DePourbaix

Morgan W Nields

Pascal Perin

Mark E Novak

A motorized biopsy needle positioner employed in a mammographic needle biopsy system receives coordinate information representative of an identified point of interest within a patient's captive breast under examination and automatically positions a biopsy needle in accordance with that coordinate information to permit insertion of the biopsy needle to the identified point of interest. An offset mode of operation of the motorized biopsy needle positioner automatically positions the biopsy needle in accordance with coordinate information representative of an offset point within the patient's breast that is offset from the previously identified point of interest to permit insertion of the biopsy needle to that offset point. A manual mode of operation of the motorized biopsy needle positioner permits the user to actuate directional keys of a user control unit to position the biopsy needle in one or more directions, as specified by the actuated directional keys.

Mammographic biopsy apparatus

Positioning function mammographic biopsy function system with offset

Motorized mammographic biopsy apparatus

An apparatus and method for dynamically controlling the generation of radiation pulses during pulse-type fluoroscopic imaging. Brightness of an image produced by a pulse is detected, converted to a digital value and compared to an acceptable predetermined value range. If the brightness is not acceptable, the pulse rate is reset to a predetermined, relatively fast rate and the energy level for the next pulse adjusted up or down to increase or decrease the brightness as necessary. Once the brightness is found to be acceptable, the pulse rate is returned to the original pulse rate. If it is determined that motion is occurring, the pulse rate will increase to the relatively fast predetermined pulse rate to provide substantially real-time imaging. If the brightness becomes unacceptable for a pulse during the period of motion, the energy level for the subsequent pulse will be adjusted. This technique of pulse control effectively reduces patient dosage and operator exposure to radiation, provides substantially real-time imaging during periods of relative motion and provides rapid image stabilization times.

Dynamic pulse control for fluoroscopy

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Englewood, CO, United States of America

Menachem Assa