The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 23, 2016
Filed:
Jun. 10, 2014
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Osamu Tsujii, Kawasaki, JP;
Masakazu Morishita, Hiratsuka, JP;
Masahiko Okunuki, Akiruno, JP;
Satoshi Shimizu, Great Neck, NY (US);
CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A mammography apparatus includes a detector that detects X-rays transmitted through a breast, and an optically transparent or semitransparent pressing panel for pressing the breast. The apparatus further includes a near infrared ray source that provided between the X-ray source and the pressing panel and arranged in a two-dimensional shape in alignment with the pressing panel, and that is movable between a first position in close contact with the pressing panel and a second position outside an X-ray image capture region. Near infrared image capture is carried out using the near infrared ray source by causing the near infrared ray source to be in the first position, and the near infrared ray source is caused to retract to the second position when carrying out X-ray image capture using the X-ray source.