# US 11,304,671 B2 · Biopsy systems for breast computed tomography

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,304,671 B2
- Document ID: US11304671B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/079,262
- Filed: 2020-10-23
- Published: 2021-02-25
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2005-05-03
- Assignees: The Regents of the University of California
- Applicants: The Regents of the University of California
- Inventors: John M. Boone; Thomas R. Yellen-Nelson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304671B2

## CPC

- A61B 6/482: {involving multiple energy imaging}
- A61B 6/037: {Emission tomography}
- A61B 6/0435: {with means for imaging suspended breasts}
- A61B 6/06: Diaphragms
- A61B 6/4417: {related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities}
- A61B 6/488: {involving pre-scan acquisition}
- A61B 6/502: {for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography}
- A61B 6/584: {determining position of components of the apparatus or device using images of the phantom}
- A61B 8/0825: {for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography}
- A61B 8/4416: {related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions}
- A61B 6/03: Computed tomography [CT]
- A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]}
- A61B 6/12: Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
- A61B 6/4028: {resulting in acquisition of views from substantially different positions, e.g. EBCT}
- A61B 6/405: {Source units specially adapted to modify characteristics of the beam during the data acquisition process (A61B6/4021, A61B6/4035 take precedence)}
- A61B 6/4423: {related to hygiene or sterilisation}
- A61B 6/4452: {the source unit and the detector unit being able to move relative to each other}
- A61B 6/469: {for selecting a region of interest [ROI]}
- A61B 6/5235: {combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT}
- A61B 10/0041: {Detection of breast cancer (mammography by transillumination A61B5/0091, by X-rays A61B6/502, by ultrasonic means A61B8/0825)}
- A61N 2005/1061: {using an x-ray imaging system having a separate imaging source}
- G16H 50/70: for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

A device and methods for performing a simulated CT biopsy on a region of interest on a patient. The device comprises a gantry (22) configured to mount an x-ray emitter (24) and CT detector (26) on opposing sides of the gantry, a motor (28) rotatably coupled to the gantry such that the gantry rotates horizontally about the region of interest, and a high resolution x-ray detector (172) positioned adjacent the CT detector in between the CT detector and the x-ray emitter.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for performing a simulated computed tomography (CT) breast biopsy, comprising:
an x-ray source coupled to a gantry that rotates around a subject's breast;
a first detector and a second detector both coupled to said gantry and positioned to receive x-ray beams from the x-ray source; and
a processor communicatively coupled to said first and second detectors and configured to:
generate, based on a first x-ray beam received by the first detector, a first CT projection dataset of the subject's breast at a first spatial resolution;
identify, based on the first CT projection dataset, a location of a possible tumor in the subject's breast;
generate, based on a second x-ray beam received by the second detector, a second CT projection dataset of a portion of the subject's breast proximate to the possible tumor at a second, higher spatial resolution; and
generate, based on at least the second CT projection dataset, a high-resolution image of the portion of the subject's breast.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the high-resolution image of the portion of the subject's breast based on a combination of the first CT projection dataset with the second CT projection dataset.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first detector has a first area and a first spatial resolution, and wherein the second detector has a second area smaller than the first area and a second spatial resolution greater than the first spatial resolution.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising a collimator assembly coupled to the gantry and positioned between the x-ray source and the subject's breast, said collimator assembly configured to restrict the second x-ray beam to the portion of the subject's breast.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4 further comprising a collimator positioning system that is configured to move the collimator assembly such that the second x-ray beam remains centered on the portion of the subject's breast during motion of the gantry.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the x-ray source comprises an x-ray focal spot, the system further comprising an x-ray source positioning system that is configured to move the x-ray focal spot such that the second x-ray beam remains centered on the portion of the subject's breast during motion of the gantry.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising a detector positioning system that is configured to move the second detector during motion of the gantry such that the second detector receives the second x-ray beam during motion of the gantry.

### Claim 8

A method for performing a simulated computed tomography (CT) breast biopsy, comprising:
generating, based on a first x-ray beam received by a first detector, a first CT projection dataset of a subject's breast at a first spatial resolution;
identifying, based on the first CT projection dataset, a location of a possible tumor in the subject's breast;
generating, based on a second x-ray beam received by a second detector, a second CT projection dataset of a portion of the subject's breast proximate to the possible tumor at a second, higher spatial resolution, wherein the first x-ray beam and the second x-ray beam are generated by an x-ray source; and
generating, based on at least the second CT projection dataset, a high-resolution image of the portion of the subject's breast.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein generating the high-resolution image of the portion of the subject's breast comprises combining the first CT projection dataset with the second CT projection dataset.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the first detector has a first area and a first spatial resolution, and wherein the second detector has a second area smaller than the first area and a second spatial resolution greater than the first spatial resolution.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising:
restricting the second x-ray beam to the portion of the subject's breast with a collimator assembly positioned between the x-ray source and the subject's breast; and
moving the collimator assembly such that the second x-ray beam remains centered on the portion of the subject's breast during motion of the x-ray source and the second detector.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising moving the second detector such that the second detector receives the second x-ray beam during motion of the x-ray source and the second detector.