EP-4736774-A2 - LIGHT ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS FOR MAMMOGRAPHY AND TOMOSYNTHESIS IMAGING SYSTEMS

Abstract

An imaging system includes an x-ray tube head, a support arm, and a compression system coupled to the support arm. The compression system is independently rotatable relative to the x-ray tube head and includes a compression paddle, a support platform, and an x-ray receptor. The imaging system also includes a light assembly coupled to the support arm and disposed above the compression paddle. The light assembly is configured to direct one or more beams of light towards the support platform.

Inventors

• WELLS, TIMOTHY N.
• BUCCILLI, Juliette
• REGO, ALAN
• VARTOLONE, JOSEPH

Assignees

• Hologic, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20190925

Claims (17)

1. An imaging system comprising: a gantry; a compression system rotatably supported on the gantry, wherein the compression system comprises a compression paddle, a support platform, and an x-ray receptor disposed below the support platform; an x-ray tube head rotatably supported on the gantry and independently rotatable relative to the compression system; and an emitter configured to emit a visible position marker onto the support platform, wherein the emitter is disposed on the compression system or x-ray tube head.
2. The imaging system of any one of claims 1, wherein the emitter comprises at least one of an articulator and a collimator.
3. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the emitter comprises an LED, a laser light, or a projector.
4. The imaging system of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the visible position marker identifies a position of an imaging area on the support platform.
5. The imaging system of claim 3, wherein the emitter comprises a projector and the visible position marker comprises an image projected by the projector towards the support platform.
6. The imaging system of any preceding claim wherein the visible position marker comprises at least one target marker identifying a target breast placement location on the support platform for positioning the breast.
7. A method of compressing a breast for an imaging procedure, the method comprising: illuminating a support platform of an imaging system by either: one or more light sources disposed on a light assembly, or a projector wherein the illumination is provided by one or more images projected towards the support platform by the projector, wherein the light assembly or projector is coupled to a compression system or x-ray tube head; positioning the breast on the support platform; advancing a compression paddle towards the breast positioned on the support platform; and contacting at least a portion of the breast with the compression paddle.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein illuminating the support platform comprises emitting a position marker from the one or more light sources or projector, wherein the emitted position marker substantially visibly identifies a position of an imaging area on the support platform.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the emitted position marker comprises at least one target marker identifying a target breast placement location on the support platform for positioning the breast.
10. The method of claim 8 or 9, wherein positioning the breast comprises aligning at least a portion of the breast with the position marker.
11. A method of identifying an imaging area for an imaging system comprising: (a) a gantry, (b) a compression system comprising a compression paddle, a support platform, and an x-ray receptor disposed below the support platform, wherein the compression system is rotatable relative to the gantry, and (c) an x-ray tube head independently rotatable to the gantry and the compression system, the method comprising: rotating the compression system to a compression position; rotating the x-ray tube head to an access position, wherein when in the access position, the x-ray tube head is disposed at a non-orthogonal angle to the breast platform; emitting a position marker from an emitter disposed on the compression system or x-ray tube head towards the breast platform, wherein the emitted position marker substantially visibly delineates a position of the imaging area during an imaging procedure; rotating the x-ray source tube head to an imaging position; and performing an imaging procedure.
12. A method of illuminating an active imaging area for an imaging system comprising: (a) a gantry, (b) a compression system comprising a compression paddle, a support platform, and an x-ray receptor disposed below the support platform, wherein the compression system is rotatable relative to the gantry, and (c) an x-ray tube head independently rotatable to the gantry and the compression system, the method comprising: rotating the compression system to a first rotation position; rotating the x-ray tube head to a second rotation position, wherein when in the second rotation position, the x-ray tube head is disposed at a non-imaging position relative to the support platform; emitting a position marker from a light source disposed on the compression system or x-ray tube head towards the support platform, wherein the emitted position marker substantially visibly delineates a position of the active imaging area; rotating the x-ray source tube head to an imaging position; and performing an imaging procedure.
13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein the emitted position marker comprises at least one target marker identifying a target breast placement location on the support platform for a patient's breast.
14. The imaging system of claim 6 or the method of claim 9 or 13, wherein the at least one target marker corresponds to the target breast placement location for one or more of a nipple line, a skin line, and an axilla tissue line for the patent's breast.
15. The imaging system of claim 6 or 14, or the method of claim 9, 13 or 14, wherein the at least one target marker comprises a perimeter, a partial perimeter, or an outline of a breast shape to define a breast placement area on the support platform.
16. The method of any one of claims 11-15, further comprising articulating the emitter relative to the x-ray tube head prior to emitting the position marker.
17. The method of any one of claims 11-15, further comprising collimating the emitted position marker.

Description

Cross-Reference to Related Applications This application is being filed on 25 September 2019 as a PCT International patent application, and claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/736,089, filed September 25, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Background Compression during mammography and tomosynthesis imaging serves a number of purposes. For example, it: (1) makes the breast thinner in the direction of x-ray flux and thereby reduces patient radiation exposure from the level required to image the thicker parts of a breast that are not compressed; (2) makes the breast more uniform in thickness in the direction of x-ray flux and thereby facilitates more uniform exposure at the image plane over the entire breast image; (3) immobilizes the breast during the x-ray exposure and thereby reduces image blurring; and (4) brings breast tissues out from the chest wall into the imaging exposure field and thus allows for more tissue imaging. As the breast is being compressed, typically a technologist manipulates the breast to position it appropriately and counter the tendency that compression has of pushing breast tissue toward the chest wall and out of the image field. Standard compression methods for mammography and tomosynthesis use a movable, rigid, radiolucent compression paddle. The breast is placed in an imaging area on a breast support platform that typically is flat, and the paddle then compresses the breast, usually while a technologist or other health professional is holding the breast in place. The technologist may also manipulate the breast to ensure proper tissue coverage in the image receptor's field of view. One known challenge in mammography and breast tomosynthesis is the positioning of the patient's breast by the technologist in the image receptor's field of view before compressing the breast. For example, the imaging room typically has dim lighting to increase patient comfort and reduce patient anxiety. Low light, however, makes the technologist's work around the imaging system much more difficult and can increase the time required for imaging procedures. For example, identifying the active imaging area, which at times generally corresponds to the size, shape, and location of a compression paddle. Additionally, identifying the field of view of the image receptor is often difficult when the x-ray source is moved out of position so that the technologist has access to the patient's breast and the compression system. Summary In one aspect, the technology relates to an imaging system including: an x-ray tube head; a support arm; a compression system coupled to the support arm and independently rotatable relative to the x-ray tube head, wherein the compression system includes a compression paddle, a support platform, and an x-ray receptor; and a light assembly coupled to the support arm and disposed above the compression paddle, wherein the light assembly is configured to direct one or more beams of light towards the support platform. In an example, the light assembly includes a cantilever support coupled to the support arm and a light structure coupled to the cantilever support. In another example, the light structure includes a ring with an opening defined therein, and when an x-ray beam is emitted from the x-ray tube head, the x-ray beam travels through the opening such that the ring is not in a field of view of a resulting x-ray image. In yet another example, the light structure is fixed to the cantilever support. In still another example, the light structure includes one or more light sources. In an example, at least one of the one or more light sources is articulated. In another example, at least one of the one or more light sources is collimated. In yet another example, the light assembly includes a face shield. In still another example, the face shield is slidingly coupled to the cantilever support and configured to move along the cantilever support and with respect to the light structure. In another aspect, the technology relates to an imaging system including: a gantry; a compression system rotatably supported on the gantry, wherein the compression system includes a compression paddle, a support platform, and an x-ray receptor disposed below the support platform; an x-ray tube head rotatably supported on the gantry and independently rotatable relative to the compression system; and an emitter configured to emit a visible position marker onto the support platform, wherein the emitter is disposed on the compression system. In an example, the emitter includes a face shield. In another example, the emitter includes a ring extending from the compression system. In yet another example, the emitter includes at least one of an articulator and a collimator. In still another example, the emitter includes a laser light. In an example, the position marker includes a substantially linear line. In another example, the line corresponds to a f