Mammography apparatus and method
US6845146B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 14, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jan 18, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 18, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B6/466
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A mammography apparatus and method having an X-ray tube, an image receiver, the image receiver having one edge in contact with a patient, a compression paddle between the tube and the receiver, able to be moved up and down parallel to a direction of propagation of the X-rays, means for keeping the compression paddle in position in the radiation propagation direction, the compression paddle, in its compression position, being movable in at least one direction perpendicular to the direction of X-ray propagation and parallel to the contact edge of the image receiver. This allows a patient's breast to be rolled and presented to the image receiver in different positions thereby reducing ambiguities in possible detection of a lesion due to layers of tissue overlapping when images are taken.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.