Abstract: A patient interface system for scanning a volume of tissue protruding from a patient, the system comprising: a base including a planar portion configured to support the patient in a prone configuration, and a frustoconical portion extending from the planar portion and defining a base aperture configured to receive the volume of tissue; and a support assembly configured to couple to the base, including a frame and a membrane retained in tension within the frame at a peripheral portion of the membrane, wherein the membrane defines a membrane aperture configured to align with the base aperture, and wherein the membrane is configured to deflect into the frustoconical portion of the base in response to the patient's weight. The system can further include an electrical subsystem including a pressure sensor array configured to generate signals in response to a pressure distribution resulting from the patient's weight at the patient interface system.

Abstract: A system for providing scanning medium for scanning a volume of tissue comprising: an inner chamber that contains the scanning medium; a transducer mounted to the inner chamber and configured to move along a motion path, with the inner chamber, in scanning the volume of tissue; an outer chamber concentrically aligned about the inner chamber to guide the inner chamber along the motion path; a piston module defining a base surface within the inner chamber, the piston module comprising a medium inlet and a medium outlet for adjusting an amount of the scanning medium within the inner chamber; a detection subsystem coupled to the base surface of the piston module; and an actuator comprising a stationary portion mounted to the piston module and a moving portion coupled to the inner chamber and configured to produce motion of the inner chamber along the motion path.

Abstract: A system for providing scanning medium for scanning a volume of tissue comprising: an inner chamber that contains the scanning medium; a transducer mounted to the inner chamber and configured to move along a motion path, with the inner chamber, in scanning the volume of tissue; an outer chamber concentrically aligned about the inner chamber to guide the inner chamber along the motion path; a piston module defining a base surface within the inner chamber, the piston module comprising a medium inlet and a medium outlet for adjusting an amount of the scanning medium within the inner chamber; a detection subsystem coupled to the base surface of the piston module; and an actuator comprising a stationary portion mounted to the piston module and a moving portion coupled to the inner chamber and configured to produce motion of the inner chamber along the motion path.

Abstract: A patient interface system for scanning a volume of tissue protruding from a patient, the system comprising: a base including a planar portion configured to support the patient in a prone configuration, and a frustoconical portion extending from the planar portion and defining a base aperture configured to receive the volume of tissue; and a support assembly configured to couple to the base, including a frame and a membrane retained in tension within the frame at a peripheral portion of the membrane, wherein the membrane defines a membrane aperture configured to align with the base aperture, and wherein the membrane is configured to deflect into the frustoconical portion of the base in response to the patient's weight. The system can further include an electrical subsystem including a pressure sensor array configured to generate signals in response to a pressure distribution resulting from the patient's weight at the patient interface system.

Abstract: A system for providing scanning medium for scanning a volume of tissue comprising: an inner chamber that contains the scanning medium; a transducer mounted to the inner chamber and configured to move along a motion path, with the inner chamber, in scanning the volume of tissue; an outer chamber concentrically aligned about the inner chamber to guide the inner chamber along the motion path; a piston module defining a base surface within the inner chamber, the piston module comprising a medium inlet and a medium outlet for adjusting an amount of the scanning medium within the inner chamber; a detection subsystem coupled to the base surface of the piston module; and an actuator comprising a stationary portion mounted to the piston module and a moving portion coupled to the inner chamber and configured to produce motion of the inner chamber along the motion path.

Abstract: A system for supporting a patient while scanning a volume of tissue protruding from a patient includes a base having a planar portion configured to support the patient in a prone configuration. A frustoconical portion extends from the planar portion and defines a base aperture configured to receive the volume of tissue. A support assembly couples to the base. A membrane is retained in tension within a frame at a peripheral portion of the membrane. The membrane defines a membrane aperture configured to align with the base aperture, and the membrane is configured to deflect into the frustoconical portion of the base in response to the patient's weight. The system can further include an electrical subsystem including a pressure sensor array configured to generate signals in response to a pressure distribution resulting from the patient's weight at the patient interface system.

Abstract: A system for providing scanning medium for scanning a volume of tissue comprising: an inner chamber that contains the scanning medium; a transducer mounted to the inner chamber and configured to move along a motion path, with the inner chamber, in scanning the volume of tissue; an outer chamber concentrically aligned about the inner chamber to guide the inner chamber along the motion path; a piston module defining a base surface within the inner chamber, the piston module comprising a medium inlet and a medium outlet for adjusting an amount of the scanning medium within the inner chamber; a detection subsystem coupled to the base surface of the piston module; and an actuator comprising a stationary portion mounted to the piston module and a moving portion coupled to the inner chamber and configured to produce motion of the inner chamber along the motion path.

Abstract: A system for providing scanning medium for scanning a volume of tissue comprising: an inner chamber that contains the scanning medium; a transducer mounted to the inner chamber and configured to move along a motion path, with the inner chamber, in scanning the volume of tissue; an outer chamber concentrically aligned about the inner chamber to guide the inner chamber along the motion path; a piston module defining a base surface within the inner chamber, the piston module comprising a medium inlet and a medium outlet for adjusting an amount of the scanning medium within the inner chamber; a detection subsystem coupled to the base surface of the piston module; and an actuator comprising a stationary portion mounted to the piston module and a moving portion coupled to the inner chamber and configured to produce motion of the inner chamber along the motion path.

Abstract: A patient interface system for scanning a volume of tissue protruding from a patient, the system comprising: a base including a planar portion configured to support the patient in a prone configuration, and a frustoconical portion extending from the planar portion and defining a base aperture configured to receive the volume of tissue; and a support assembly configured to couple to the base, including a frame and a membrane retained in tension within the frame at a peripheral portion of the membrane, wherein the membrane defines a membrane aperture configured to align with the base aperture, and wherein the membrane is configured to deflect into the frustoconical portion of the base in response to the patient's weight. The system can further include an electrical subsystem including a pressure sensor array configured to generate signals in response to a pressure distribution resulting from the patient's weight at the patient interface system.

Abstract: Scatter effects are reduced in a radiographic imaging device, such as a digital slot scan mammographic imaging device, by reducing detected scatter and processing detector information to compensate for scatter effects. In one embodiment, a digital mammographic imaging system (10) includes a source (24) for transmitting a narrow beam (28) and a detector assembly (32) for detecting the beam (28). The beam (28) and the detector assembly (32) are synchronously scanned across the patient's breast (48) to obtain an image. Collimator slats (74) are provided at the leading and trailing edges of the detector to reduce detected scatter. Additionally, attenuators (76 and 92) are provided at the ends of the scanned motion and at the anterior edge of the detector array to assist in determining a spatial intensity profile.

Abstract: Scatter effects are reduced in a radiographic imaging device, such as a digital slot scan mammographic imaging device, by reducing detected scatter and processing detector information to compensate for scatter effects. A digital mammographic imaging system (10) may include a source (24) for transmitting a narrow beam (28) and a detector assembly (32) for detecting the beam (28). The beam (28) and the detector assembly (32) may synchronously scann across the patient's breast (48) to obtain an image. Collimator slats (74) at the leading and trailing edges of the detector may reduce detected scatter. Attenuators (76 and 92) at the ends of the scanned motion and at the anterior edge of the detector array may assist in determining a spatial intensity profile. The spatial intensity profile information together with other imaging signal and patient dependent parameters may be used to estimate and compensate for various scatter effects.

Abstract: Scatter effects are reduced in a radiographic imaging device, such as a digital slot scan mammographic imaging device, by reducing detected scatter and processing detector information to compensate for scatter effects. In one embodiment, a digital mammographic imaging system (10) includes a source (24) for transmitting a narrow beam (28) and a detector assembly (32) for detecting the beam (28). The beam (28) and the detector assembly (32) are synchronously scanned across the patient's breast (48) to obtain an image. Collimator slats (74) are provided at the leading and trailing edges of the detector to reduce detected scatter. Additionally, attenuators (76 and 92) are provided at the ends of the scanned motion and at the anterior edge of the detector array to assist in determining a spatial intensity profile.

Abstract: Scatter effects are reduced in a radiographic imaging device, such as a digital slot scan mammographic imaging device, by reducing detected scatter and processing detector information to compensate for scatter effects. In one embodiment, a digital mammographic imaging system (10) includes a source (24) for transmitting a narrow beam (28) and a detector assembly (32) for detecting the beam (28). The beam (28) and the detector assembly (32) are synchronously scanned across the patient's breast (48) to obtain an image. Collimator slats (74) are provided at the leading and trailing edges of the detector to reduce detected scatter. Additionally, attenuators (76 and 92) are provided at the ends of the scanned motion and at the anterior edge of the detector array to assist in determining a spatial intensity profile.