Mammography detector having multiple sensors, and mammography device capable of acquiring 3D image acquisition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9420982-B2
Application number	US-201114130574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2011
Priority date	Jul 1, 2011
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a mammography device including a main body, a gantry, an X-ray generator, an X-ray detector, a first rotating shaft, a supporting panel, and a pressing panel. The gantry is vertically movably connected to the main body. The X-ray generator is attached to one end of the gantry. The X-ray detector is attached to the other end of the gantry. The first rotating shaft is configured to rotate the gantry. The support panel is configured to support a patient's breast. The pressing panel is vertically movably disposed and connected to the main body. Such a pressing panel is configured to press the patient's breast on the support panel. The X-ray detector acquires 3-D images while rotating the gantry around the breast pressed by the pressing panel and the support panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mammography device comprising:
a main body;
a gantry connected to the main body to be vertically movable;
an X-ray generator attached to one end of the gantry;
an X-ray detector attached to the other end of the gantry opposing the X-ray generator;
a first rotating shaft disposed in the main body and configured to rotate the gantry;
a support panel disposed on a rotation axis line of the first rotating shaft and configured to support a patient's breast; and
a pressing panel configured to press the patient's breast on the support panel, where the pressing panel is vertically movably disposed, and connected to the main body,
wherein the X-ray detector includes a first sensor disposed on a first surface and a second sensor disposed on a second surface opposed to the first surface and acquires a three-dimensional image while rotating the gantry by a predetermined angle or more in a state where the patient's breast is pressed by the pressing panel and the support panel.

2. The mammography device according to claim 1 , further comprising a readout board disposed between the first sensor and the second sensor.

3. The mammography device according to claim 2 , wherein the X-ray detector further includes an X-ray shielding member that shields the readout board so as to prevent damage and interference of the readout board due to X-rays generated by the X-ray generator.

4. The mammography device according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is a high-definition sensor that is disposed on the first surface of the X-ray detector, and the second sensor is a high-contrast sensor that is disposed on the second surface of the X-ray detector so as to be opposed to the first surface, and wherein the mammography device further comprises a readout board that is disposed between the high-definition sensor and the high-contrast sensor.

5. The mammography device according to claim 4 , wherein the X-ray detector further includes X-ray shielding members that shield a readout board so as to prevent damage and interference of the readout board due to X-rays generated by the X-ray generator.

6. The mammography device according to claim 1 , wherein the first rotating shaft causes the gantry to rotate by about 185 degrees or more.

7. The mammography device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a control module configured to set an operation mode of the mammography device; and
a second rotating shaft configured to cause a module of the X-ray detector to automatically rotate on the basis of the mode set by the mode setting means.

8. The mammography device according to claim 7 , wherein the X-ray detector further includes a display device that is formed on a top surface and/or a bottom surface so as to display a sensor type.

9. The mammography device according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is a high-definition sensor that is disposed on the first surface so as to detect a small possible lesion, and the second sensor is a high-contrast sensor that is disposed on the second surface opposed to the first surface so as to detect an accurate size of a lesion, and wherein the mammography device further comprises a readout board that is disposed between the high-definition sensor and the high-contrast sensor.

10. The mammography device according to claim 9 , wherein the detector further includes an X-ray shielding member that shields the readout board so as to prevent damage and interference of the readout board due to X-rays generated by the X-ray generator.

11. The mammography device according to claim 9 , wherein the high-definition sensor has a pixel size of about 50 μm or less and the high-contrast sensor has a pixel size of about 70 μm to about 100 μm.

12. The mammography device according to claim 1 , wherein the x-ray detector further includes a readout board, the readout board includes:
a first readout board that is connected to the first sensor so as to communicate with the first sensor, to control the first sensor, and to read out an image signal; and
a second readout board that is connected to the second sensor so as to communicate with the second sensor, to control the second sensor, and to read out an image signal.

13. The mammography device according to claim 12 , wherein mammography devices further comprises X-ray shielding members that shield the first readout board and second readout board so as to prevent damage and interference of the first readout board and second readout board due to the X-rays generated by the X-ray generator.

Assignees

• Kim Tae Woo
• Kim Chang Hyeuk
• Rayence Co Ltd
• Vatech Ewoo Holdings Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Tae Woo
• Kim Chang Hyeuk

Classifications

• A61B6/032

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/4411

  the apparatus being modular (A61B6/4283 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B6/4441

  the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm · CPC title

• A61B6/4233

  using matrix detectors · CPC title

• A61B6/107

  Protection against radiation, e.g. shielding · CPC title