Patent ID: 7986765
Filing Date: 2011-07-26
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. A method of imaging a patient's breast with x-rays comprising: providing a flat panel digital x-ray receptor having an imaging area, an x-ray source selectively emitting an imaging x-ray beam toward the imaging area of the receptor, a breast platform between the receptor and the source, and an imaging compression paddle having a substantially continuous compression area that is selected to match a size parameter of the patient's breast and is substantially smaller than said imaging area of the receptor; positioning the patient's breast on the breast platform off-center between left and right sides of the platform and positioning the compression paddle over the breast, also off-center relative to the left and right sides of the platform and in accordance with the off-center position of the breast; thereafter moving the compression paddle toward the receptor to complete compressing the patient's breast for x-ray imaging; imaging the breast with said imaging x-ray beam while the breast remains compressed between the paddle and the platform; and computer processing and displaying resulting x-ray images of the breast.