Apparatus and method for imaging breast volumetric cone-beam computed tomography

摘要

A device for producing an image of a breast from a patient, the device (200) comprises: - a portal frame; - at least one motor (212, 214, 216) to move the gantry frame to form a data acquisition geometry in which image data are taken; - a source of a radiation beam (210) connected to the portal frame for moving the portal frame, the source (210) comprising a compensation filter beam to compensate for the beam according to a non-uniform thickness of the breast ; - a two-dimensional digital detector (208) (2D) connected to the gantry frame to move with the frame (206) gantry, 2D (208) digital detector disposed in a path of the radiation beam being; and - a table (202) in which the patient can rest while the image data are taken, the table (202) configured to support the patient so that the breast is placed between the source (210) radiation cone beam and 2D digital detector (208), the table (202) having a hole (204) through which the breast may extend, and the table comprising a bowl (232) surrounding the hole (204), an outer portion at least partially surrounding the bowl (232), an intermediate portion between the outer portion and the bowl (232), wherein the intermediate portion depressed relative to the outer portion, and the bowl (232) depressed relative to the intermediate portion being such that the entire breast extending through the hole (204) is in the path of the radiation beam; - wherein at least one motor (212, 214, 216) is configured to move the portal frame so that the digital detector 2D (208) can make a volumetric scan of the breast, - wherein the bowl (232) It has a bottom surface; - the outer portion having a lower surface; and - the outer surface of the bowl below the lower surface of the outer portion and wherein: - the radiation beam has an extension greater; and - the upper extent of the radiation beam substantially coincides with the bottom surface of the bowl in the omen (204).