Patent ID: 8684948
Filing Date: 2014-04-01
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A biopsy apparatus comprising: a radiographic image capturing apparatus including a radiation source for applying radiation to an object to be examined, a radiation detector for detecting the radiation which has passed through the object and converting the detected radiation into a radiographic image, and an arm that is connected to the radiation source to move the radiation source along a plane perpendicular to a radiation reception surface of the radiation detector; and a biopsy needle positioning device including a biopsy region positional information calculator for calculating a three-dimensional position of a biopsy region of the object based on at least two radiographic images obtained by irradiating the object with the radiation from directions that are different from each other by moving the radiation source along the plane with the arm, a biopsy needle holding mechanism for holding a biopsy needle for piercing the biopsy region based on the calculated three-dimensional position of the biopsy region and sampling tissue of the biopsy region, and a biopsy needle holding mechanism for holding the biopsy needle, wherein the biopsy needle holding mechanism holds the biopsy needle to face the radiation reception surface of the radiation detector, and to position obliquely with respect to the radiation reception surface and an axis that is perpendicular to the radiation reception surface and extends on the plane.