Abstract: A mammography apparatus has a bracket having one of its arms fitted with an X-ray tube head. The X-ray tube head is formed of an X-ray tube for producing X-radiation and a collimator for collimating the X-radiation. The bracket arm opposite the X-ray tube head is fitted with an image forming element. The bracket is further provided with a compression means for compressing a breast during an imaging procedure. The image forming element has a digital full field detector. The mammography apparatus has integrable therewith a biopsy device with a biopsy needle. The detector required in a biopsy imaging process for imaging the volume space of biopsy is formed of a desired element of the full field detector. A needle guiding unit is provided for a guided movement of the biopsy needle in the volume space of biopsy on the basis of three-dimensional information compiled in the biopsy imaging process.

Abstract: A method for pointing a suspected lesion in an X-rayed body portion of a human or animalian body is disclosed, whereupon the body portion is clamped in a fixed position on a platform having a radiographic imaging detector, and radiated with X-rays coming successively from at least two different directions to form at least two planar images and respective image data. From said at least two image data and from said at least two directions, an inside location of the lesion is calculated in a predetermined three-dimensional coordinate system having two coordinate values in a plane substantially parallel to said platform, and further the configuration of the tissue surface is estimated. Then an entering point for an invasive instrument is selected and a moving direction for said invasive instrument is determined, together with calculating the distance between said entering point on said estimated surface and said calculated inside location in said moving direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mammography apparatus, comprising a bracket having one of its arms fitted with an X-ray tube head, comprising an X-ray tube for producing X-radiation and a collimator for collimating X-radiation, and the bracket arm opposite to the X-ray tube head is fitted with an image forming element, said bracket being further provided with a compression means for compressing the breast during an imaging procedure, said image forming element comprising a digital full field detector, and that the mammography apparatus has further integrable therewith a biopsy device, comprising a biopsy needle. The mammography apparatus comprises, as a detector required in a biopsy imaging process, a desired element of said full field detector for imaging the volume space of biopsy, and a needle guiding unit for a guided movement of the biopsy needle in said volume space of biopsy on the basis of three-dimensional information compiled in said biopsy imaging.