Patent ID: 7319734
Filing Date: 2008-01-15
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for use in imaging a patient's breast, comprising: an imaging source for transmitting an imaging signal relative to patient's breast during an exposure period; a detector for detecting portions of said imaging signal that have interacted with said patient's breast and providing a detector output indicative thereof, wherein said detector output includes imaging information for different portions of said patient's breast obtained at corresponding different times of said exposure period, said detector output being a result of a time delay integration process; a processor for processing said detector output to provide composite imaging information of said area of interest of said patient's breast; a rejection assembly located in a region between the patient's breast and the detector and including at least one rejection element extending into a scatter incidence pathway for a detector location of said detector, said scatter incidence pathway being disposed at an angle relative to a primary incidence pathway extending linearly between said imaging source and said detector location and said rejection element is wholly located outside of an imaging region defined by said source and an active detector area of said detector that receives said imaging signal; and means for supporting said patient's breast in an imaging position relative to said imaging source and said detector.