Patent Document ID: 10098600
Application ID: 15177949
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A system for imaging a breast of a patient, the system comprising: an imaging apparatus configured to take three-dimensional (3D) cone-beam breast computed tomography (CBBCT) projection images of the breast; a computer device configured to: pre-process the projection images of the breast to correct them based on breast shapes in the respective CBBCT projection images of the breast; perform cone beam reconstruction using the pre-processed projection images to produce a matrix of a 3D distribution of linear attenuation coefficients coefficient of the breast; perform correction and processing of the 3D distribution of linear attenuation coefficients of the breast to produce a corrected reconstruction matrix; a massive data storage/archive device configured to store the corrected reconstruction matrix into an image archive device; said a computer device comprising CPU-based computer facilities and GPU-based computer facilities and being further configured to perform the following plurality of tasks through applying computer processing algorithms to the corrected reconstruction matrix: (i) detecting and characterizing parameters of duct tissue in the breast including shapes of the duct tissue, (ii) (ii) detecting and characterizing masses and calcifications in the breast, and (iii) (iii) assessing breast density; said computer device being further configured to produce a breast display showing: (i) the detected and characterized parameters of duct tissue in the breast, including shapes of the duct tissue, (ii) locations, shapes and size(s) of detected and characterized mass(es) and calcifications in the breast and number of calcifications in a volume of interest, and (iii) breast density measurements of tissue in the breast; said computer device being further configured to produce a probability of malignancy of the breast based on content included in the composite breast display; and a computer display configured to receive and display for viewing the composite breast display and the probability of malignancy.