X-ray imaging apparatus and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9456795-B2
Application number	US-201414452734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2014
Priority date	Aug 21, 2013
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

An X-ray imaging apparatus automatically distinguishes between right and left breasts during mammography. The X-ray imaging apparatus includes: an X-ray assembly configured to press a breast, irradiate X-rays onto the pressed breast, and detect X-rays transmitted through the breast; two handles respectively provided in both sides of the X-ray assembly so that a patient is able to grip the handles, each handle including a sensor for detecting the patient's grip; and a controller configured to determine a position of a handle including the sensor that has detected the patient's grip, and to determine that a breast subject to mammography is a breast corresponding to the determined position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An X-ray imaging apparatus for mammography, the apparatus comprising:
an X-ray assembly configured to press a breast, to irradiate X-rays onto the pressed breast, and to detect X-rays transmitted through the breast;
at least two handles, each of the two handles being provided in each of both sides of the X-ray assembly so that a patient is able to grip at least one of the two handles, and respectively including a sensor configured to detect a patient's grip; and
a controller configured to determine a position of a handle which includes a respective sensor that has detected the patient's grip, and to determine that a breast subject to the mammography is a breast corresponding to the determined position.

2. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the two handles is respectively provided in a right side and a left side of the X-ray assembly based on a direction in which a patient's front side faces during the mammography, and
positions of the sensors included in each handle is determined to be the same position as an installation position of the handle on the X-ray assembly.

3. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the controller determines that the breast subject to the mammography is a right breast when a detection signal is output from the sensor included in the handle provided in the right side of the X-assembly, and
the controller determines that the breast subject to the mammography is a left breast when the detection signal is output from the sensor included in the handle provided in the left side of the X-ray assembly.

4. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensors include at least one of a tactile sensor, a mechanical sensor, a capacitive sensor, and a proximity sensor.

5. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the X-ray assembly comprises:
an X-ray source configured to irradiate the X-rays onto the breast;
an X-ray detector configured to detect the X-rays transmitted through the breast; and
a pressure paddle configured to press the breast placed on the X-ray detector.

6. An X-ray imaging apparatus for mammography, the apparatus comprising:
an X-ray source;
an X-ray detector;
a pressure paddle configured to press a breast placed on the X-ray detector;
at least two sensors installed at least in one of the X-ray detector and the pressure paddle, and configured to detect breasts placed in close proximity to the sensors; and
a controller configured to determine that a breast subject to the mammography is an opposite breast of the breast detected by a corresponding sensor.

7. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein each of the two sensors is respectively installed in each of both sides of the X-ray detector, and
positions of the two sensors are respectively determined to be right and left positions based on a direction in which a patient's front side faces during the mammography.

8. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to receive detection signals output from the two sensors installed in the both sides of the X-ray detector,
determine a position of the corresponding sensor that has output a detection signal with a greater magnitude, from the received detection signals, and
determine that the breast subject to the mammography is a breast corresponding to an opposite position of the determined position of the corresponding sensor that has output the detection signal with the greater magnitude.

9. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the controller determines that the breast subject to the mammography is a left breast when a detection signal output from the sensor installed in a right side of the X-ray detector has a greater magnitude than that of a detection signal output from the sensor installed in a left side of the X-ray detector, and
the controller determines that the breast subject to the mammography is a right breast when the detection signal output from the sensor installed in the left side of the X-ray detector has the greater magnitude than that of the detection signal output from the sensor installed in the right side of the X-ray detector.

10. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein each of the two sensors is respectively installed in each of both sides of the pressure paddle, and
positions of the two sensors are respectively determined to be right and left positions based on a direction in which a patient's front side faces during the mammography.

11. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to receive detection signals output from respective sensors installed in the both sides of the pressure paddle, determine a position of the sensor that has output a detection signal with a greater magnitude, from the received detection signals, and determine that the breast subject to the mammography is a breast corresponding to an opposite position of the determined position of the sensor that has output the detection signal with the greater magnitude.

12. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the controller determines that the breast subject to the mammography is a left breast when a detection signal output from the sensor installed in a right side of the pressure paddle has a greater magnitude than that of the detection signal output from the sensor installed in a left side of the pressure paddle, and
the controller determines that the breast subject to the mammography is a right breast when the detection signal output from the sensor installed in the left side of the pressure paddle has the greater magnitude than that of the detection signal output from the sensor installed in the right side of the pressure paddle.

13. The X-ray imaging apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the two sensors include at least one of a proximity sensor, an image sensor, and a camera.

14. An X-ray imaging apparatus for mammography, the apparatus comprising:
an X-ray assembly including an X-ray source, an X-ray detector, and a pressure paddle configured to press a breast placed on the X-ray detector;
at least two handles, each of the two handles being provided in each of both sides of the X-ray assembly so that a patient is able to grip at least one of the handles, and including a first sensor configured to detect a patient's grip; and
at least two second sensors installed at least in one of the X-ray detector and the pressure paddle, and configured to detect breasts placed in close proximity to the second sensors; and
a controller configured to determine whether a breast subject to the mammography is a left breast or a right breast, based on detection signals output from at least one of the first sensors and the second sensors.

15. The X-ray imaging apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the controller determines a breast corresponding to the same position as that of a handle including a respective first sensor that has detected the patient's grip and output a detection signal, as a candidate breast subject to the mammography;
the controller determines whether a breast corresponding to an opposite position of that of a respective second sensor that has output a detection signal with a greater magnitude between the detection signals output from the second sensors is identical to the candidate breast determined based on the detection signal output from the respective first sensor; and
the controller determines the candidate breast determined based on the detection signal output from the respective first sensor as the bre

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Jong Ha
• Sung Young Hun

Classifications

• A61B6/542

  involving control of exposure · CPC title

• A61B6/545

  involving automatic set-up of acquisition parameters · CPC title

• A61B6/467 Primary

  characterised by special input means · CPC title

• A61B6/44

  Constructional features of apparatus for radiation diagnosis · CPC title

• A61B6/0414

  with compression means · CPC title