Patent ID: 8559595
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. A system for imaging a patient's breast with x-rays comprising: a frame supporting an x-ray source, said source selectively emitting a collimated x-ray beam, and said frame being mounted for selectively rotating at least the x-ray source about an axis; an enclosure having an upper surface to which said collimated beam is directed, said upper surface being configured to support a patient's breast for x-ray imaging with said x-ray beam and having a proximal edge that extends in a direction transverse to said axis and is configured to be adjacent a patient's chest wall when a patient's breast is supported on said upper surface for x-ray imaging with said collimated x-ray beam; a flat panel digital image receptor mounted under said upper surface of the enclosure, said image receptor receiving said collimated x-ray beam at an imaging plane of the receptor, said image receptor having a proximal edge that is generally parallel to the proximal edge of said upper surface of the enclosure; a compression paddle supported for movement toward said upper surface of the enclosure to compress a patient's breast between the paddle and the upper surface of the enclosure for x-ray imaging with said collimated x-ray beam; said compression paddle being mounted for movement in a direction along said proximal edge of the imaging plane, through a range of offset positions in which the compression paddle is not centered relative to said proximal edges of the upper surface of the enclosure; whereby said system is configured to select an offset position within said range of offset positions in relation to a position of a patient's breast relative to said proximal edge of the upper surface of the enclosure that supports the breast; an anti-scatter grid supported in said enclosure, between said upper surface of the enclosure and said image receptor; and a viewing station configured to display images of the breast derived through said image receptor.