Patent Document ID: 20140037044
Application ID: 13985517
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for imaging a breast of a patient, the method comprising: (a) taking three-dimensional (3D) cone-beam breast computed tomography (CBBCT) projection image data of the breast; (b) processing the projection image data taken in step (a) in a computing device for pre-reconstruction correction of the projection image data; (c) performing cone beam reconstruction of a matrix of 3D distribution of a linear attenuation coefficient of the breast in the computer device; (d) performing correction and processing after the reconstruction of the matrix of the breast in the computer device; (e) storing the corrected reconstruction matrix into an image archive device; (f) using a CPU-based computer device and a GPU-based computer device to perform the following plurality of tasks: detecting and characterizing mass, detecting calcifications, assessing breast density and detecting and characterizing duct system of the breast, based the reconstructed 3D data; (g) outputting the composite breast information including locations, shapes and size(s) of mass(es) and calcifications, number of calcifications in volume of interest, breast density measurement and shapes of duct system of the breast; and (h) outputting the probability of malignancy of the breast based on the composite breast information determined in (g).