Abstract: A breast needle biopsy system and method use two-dimensional information about an abnormality from a scout view of the breast of a prone or upright patient but only one-dimensional information from each of one or more stereo views to control a needle guidance stage relative to an abnormality in the breast. An additional feature is to provide a live display of a least distance between calculated positions or loci of positions of a target in the breast to enable a health professional to make new selections of coordinates from the scout and/or stereo views in an effort to reduce the least distance, or to otherwise account for that distance. The live display of a least distance also improves existing systems that rely on two-dimensional information from each of two stereo images to calculate an abnormality's position in the breast.

Abstract: A patient-supporting table for performing prone stereotactic mammographic biopsy procedures having a platform with an aperture positioned so as to divide the platform into two supporting portions is disclosed. Each of the supporting portions of the platform are sufficient to support at least a patient's torso and legs. The supporting portions of the platform enable a patient's breast to be pendulantly presented in two different orientations with respect to the aperture which further enables 360.degree. access to a pendulantly presented breast by stereotactic mammography and biopsy apparatus which have rotation ranges substantially less than 360.degree. but more than 180.degree. relative to the aperture.

Abstract: An elongated prone patient-supporting examining table for X-ray mammography is centrally supported at variable heights by a rear pedestal. The table is provided with a central breast-receiving aperture through which the patient's pendulant breast is exposed to a horizontal beam of X-rays from a tubehead source mounted on an arm angularly movable through an arc of some 210.degree. centered on the patient's breast. The patient's feet may be positioned at either end of the elongated table on an extensible footrest, permitting X-ray projection through more than 360.degree. around the patient's body. Diagnosis of suspect lesions and fine needle biopsy are both facilitated by stereotactic examination. Digital imaging using a CCD camera and image enhancement software provides magnification, contrast enhancement, window and level manipulation and high resolution images, with low exposure levels, short exposure times, and greatly reduced imaging times.

Abstract: An elongated prone patient-supporting examining table for X-ray mammography is centrally supported at variable heights by a rear pedestal. The table is provided with a central breast-receiving aperture through which the patient's pendulant breast is exposed to a horizontal beam of X-rays from a tubehead source mounted on an arm angularly movable through an arc of some 210.degree. centered on the patient's breast. The patient's feet may be positioned at either end of the elongated table on an extensible footrest, permitting X-ray projection through more than 360.degree. around the patient's body. Diagnosis of suspect lesions and fine needle biopsy are both facilitated by stereotactic examination. Digital imaging using a CCD camera and image enhancement software provides magnification, contrast enhancement, window and level manipulation and high resolution images, with low exposure levels, short exposure times, and greatly reduced imaging times.

Abstract: A non-destructive testing technique, particularly suitable for the non-invasive examination of human body tissue, wherein the object of interest is sequentially transilluminated with light having different wavelengths. Apparatus for practicing the technique alternately generates light of different colors and the light which passes through the tissue is detected by a video system synchronized with the source of the different wavelength light. The video system provides information bearing signals to data processing circuitry which determines the transmissivity at each wavelength of each point of the object within the viewing field.

Abstract: An ultrasound adapter is provided for a medical diagnostic device which implements a transillumination modality. The ultrasound adapter enables the sharing of data processing circuitry between the transillumination and ultrasound modalities. When in use, the ultrasound adapter provides image data at a rate and in a format which corresponds to that produced by the image sensor of the transillumination instrumentality.

Abstract: A non-destructive testing technique, particularly suitable for the non-invasive examination of human body tissue, wherein the object of interest is sequentially transilluminated within light having different wavelengths. Apparatus for practicing the technique alternately generates light of different colors and the light which passes through the tissue is detected by a video system synchronized with the source of the different wavelength light. The video system provides information bearing signals to data processing circuitry which determines the transmissivity at each wavelength of each point of the object within the viewing field.

Abstract: A non-destructive testing technique, particularly suitable for the non-invasive examination of human body tissue, wherein the object of interest is transilluminated with multi-wavelength light. Apparatus for practicing the technique generates transillumination light containing different colors and the light which passes through the tissue is divided and filtered to provide plural light beams lying in separate wavelength ranges. These light beams are detected by a video system which provides information bearing signals to data processing circuitry which determines the transmissivity at each wavelength of each point of the object within the viewing field.

Abstract: A non-destructive testing technique, particularly suitable for the non-invasive examination of human body tissue, wherein the object of interest is transilluminated with multi-wavelength light. Apparatus for practicing the technique generates transillumination light containing different colors and the light which passes through the tissue is divided and filtered to provide plural light beams lying in separate wavelength ranges. These light beams are detected by a video system which provides information bearing signals to data processing circuitry which determines the transmissivity at each wavelength of each point of the object within the viewing field.

Abstract: A beam of ultrasonic energy emitted from a stationary transducer is scanned through the use of a steerable mirror which is positioned in the path of the beam between the transducer and a target. The mounting means for the steerable mirror enables the beam of ultrasonic energy to be aimed as desired and the beam will preferably be scanned along a line and the scanning line may be shifted in a generally transverse direction to accomplish "Multiple plane" scanning.

Abstract: A beam of ultrasonic energy is scanned through the use of a steerable mirror positioned in a liquid path traversed by the beam between a transmit-receive crystal and the target. The mirror is comprised of a material selected to have an angle of excitation of surface waves at the liquid-mirror interface which lies outside the range of angles of transmission and reception incidence at which the beam impinges on the mirror.

Abstract: Side lobe suppression is optimized in an ultrasonic generator by actively driving the transducer crystal with a signal which varies in magnitude. In a preferred embodiment a phased array of annular electrodes on a transducer crystal are individually driven with voltages having a predetermined wave form. The drive voltages are produced by generating a periodic signal and thereafter modulating this signal to provide an envelope which has the desired wave form.

Abstract: Non-destructive testing with ultrasonic energy is performed by scanning a focused ultrasound beam until a region of interest is detected and rescanning this region with the beam focused at a plurality of depths. Apparatus for ultrasonic body scanning for medical purposes may include an actively driven transducer crystal which may be dynamically focused. A beam of energy produced by the transducer will be coupled to the patient by a liquid path and a movable mirror may be interposed along the liquid path to cause scanning of the beam.