Patent ID: 8886293

Claim:
A molecular breast imaging (MBI) system comprising: a first detector head including a first collimator and a first gamma-ray detector configured to receive gamma-rays from a portion of a subject arranged proximate the first collimator, the first detector head being an upper detector head of the MBI system; and a second detector head including a second collimator and a second gamma-ray detector configured to receive gamma-rays from the portion of the subject arranged between the first collimator and the second collimator, the second detector head being a lower detector head of the MBI system, the first detector head being repositionably opposed to the second detector head such as to compress, in operation of the MBI system, a tissue between the first and second detector heads; wherein at least one of the first collimator and the second collimator include multiple collimation sections, each of said multiple collimation sections including multiple collimator channels, said multiple collimation sections having respectively different collimation characteristics such that a first collimation section from said multiple collimation sections (i) includes multiple collimator channels outputs of which are arranged along circles that are concentric about an axis as viewed along the axis, and (ii) defines conical collimation having multiple foci that are arranged on and separated from one another along said axis, and wherein said MBI system is configured to generate a first visual representation of a region of said tissue, said first visual representation having a first annular portion and a second visual representation of a biopsy needle when the needle is inserted in said tissue, said second visual representation having a second annular portion, to enable guiding of the biopsy needle through said tissue and towards said region based on visual comparison of the first and second annular portions.