Patent ID: 7702065
Filing Date: 2010-04-20
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A digital system to assist in carrying out stereotaxic breast biopsies with a biopsy needle to provide for visualization of the position of said biopsy needle with respect to the breast in real-time, said system comprising: an x-ray source for emitting x-ray photons; a pixel-type detector to convert the x-ray photons emitted by the x-ray source into first electrical signals; a positioning means to locate a tissue sample between the x-ray source and the pixel-type detector; processing means in order to process the electrical signals of the pixel-type detector and to produce processed signals; and imaging means to generate a two-dimensional image from said processed signals; wherein: said pixel-type detector includes conversion means to carry out a direct conversion of the x-ray photons into an electrical charge; and said pixel-type detector—and the x-ray source are aligned on a working axis the positioning means are arranged to allow the movement of the working axis between a first position in accordance with a first direction and a second position in accordance with a second direction that forms an angle α with the first direction, wherein 0°≦α≦180°; and wherein, the system includes means to set the angle α by the user; and display means to display the two-dimensional images generated with the imaging means, said display means including a monitor with two projections for displaying two images simultaneously, the imaging means generating a first image in the first position and generating a second image in the second position, the monitor displaying the first image and the second image in real time, such that a three-dimensional visualization is provided to and visualized by a specialist wearing stereoscopic glasses.