Patent ID: 8433032

Claim:
A mammography apparatus arrangement for imaging both small and large breasts, comprising an arm part rotatable by an actuator, a radiation source arranged in connection with the arm part, a collimation means for limiting the radiation produced by the radiation source to form a beam and directing the beam to the object to be imaged, a so-called full-field imaging sensor and a laterally unmovable upper compression plate fixed to the arm part so as to follow rotation thereof, the upper compression plate having a width substantially equal to the width of said full-field imaging sensor arranged in the area between the radiation source and the full-field imaging sensor, an automatic exposure system, a control system and a control panel or other user interface functionally connected to it, wherein the arrangement comprises means for implementing in response to one or more control signals, a combination of automatic operation actions which are useful for imaging small breasts and comprises, i) operating the actuator rotating the arm part so as to cause the arm part to assume a predetermined oblique imaging position, ii) positioning of the aforesaid collimation means in such a way that they limit the beam to a predetermined area of the full-field imaging sensor that is smaller than the surface area of the full-field imaging sensor and that of the upper compression plate substantially equal in width with it, and iii) directing the beam to the predetermined area of the full-field imaging sensor so that the center axis of the beam does not position at the center of said sensor, and correspondingly of the compression plate, and iv) adapting said automatic exposure system to receive and/or read a signal from the aforesaid area smaller than the surface area of the full-field imaging sensor whereto the beam is directed.