Controller for imaging apparatus

#X-ray mammography has long been a screening modality for breast cancer and other lesions, and also has been relied on for diagnostic and other purposes. For mammograms, a cone-shaped or pyramid-shaped x-ray beam passes through the compressed breast and forms a two-dimensional projection image. Any one of a number of orientations can be used, such as cranial-caudal (CC) or mediolateral-oblique (MLO) orientation. Another imaging modality is breast x-ray tomosynthesis. The technology typically involves taking two-dimensional (2D) projection images of the immobilized breast at each of a number of angles of the x-ray beam relative to the breast and processing the resulting x-ray measurements to reconstruct images of breast slices that typically are in planes transverse to the x-ray beam axis, such as parallel to the image plane of a mammogram of the same breast.

#In one aspect, the technology relates to an apparatus having: an upright gantry; a tube arm assembly rotatably coupled to the upright gantry; a compression arm assembly rotatably coupled to the upright gantry, wherein the tube arm assembly is at least partially independently rotatable relative to the compression arm assembly; and a controller disposed on the upright gantry and operably connected to at least one of the tube arm assembly and the compression arm assembly. In an example, the controller includes a first controller disposed on a first side of the upright gantry and a second controller disposed on a second side of the upright gantry. In another example, the controller includes two controllers disposed on opposite sides of the gantry. In yet another example, the controller is at least partially flush with an outer housing of the gantry. In still another example, the controller includes a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the upright gantry.

#In another example of the above aspect, a first side of the controller projects a first distance from an outer housing of the gantry and wherein a second side of the controller projects a second distance from the outer housing of the gantry, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance. In an example, the controller includes at least one of a button, a dial, a knob, and a graphic user interface. In another example, a front face of the controller is disposed at an angle to an outer housing of the gantry. In yet another example, the controller includes a substantially D-shaped outline. In still another example, the controller is disposed a distance above a floor surface greater than one-half a total height of the gantry.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gantry and an acquisition workstation in accordance with the prior art.

#FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the system of FIG. 1, with a tube arm assembly in a rotated position.

#FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 2.

#The present technology relates to a breast imaging systems that are used to generate mammograms and/or tomosynthesis images of the breast. In use, a technician places a breast of a patient on a platform of an imaging system and compresses the breast against the platform with a breast compression plate or paddle. One or more x-ray images are then taken of the breast and processed for analysis.

#FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a non-limiting example of a multi-mode mammography/tomosynthesis system comprising a floor-mounted, upright gantry 100 and a data acquisition work-station 102. Gantry 100 includes a housing 104 supporting a tube arm assembly 106 rotatably mounted thereon to pivot about a horizontal axis 402 (FIG. 4) and carrying an x-ray tube assembly 108. X-ray tube assembly 108 includes (1) an x-ray tube generating x-ray energy in a selected range, such as 20-50 kV, at mAs such as in the range 3-400 mAs, with focal spots such as a nominal size 0.3 mm large spot and nominal size 0.1 mm small spot (2) supports for multiple filters such as molybdenum, rhodium, aluminum, copper, and tin filters, and (3) an adjustable collimation assembly selectively collimating the x-ray beam from the focal spot in a range such as from 7×8 cm to 24×29 when measured at the image plane of an x-ray image receptor included in the system, at a maximum source-image distance such as 75 cm. Also mounted on housing 104, for rotation about the same axis 402, is a compression arm assembly 110 that includes a compression device 112 having to a compression plate or paddle 122 and a receptor housing 114 having an upper surface 116 serving as a breast plate and enclosing a receptor subsystem system 117 comprising a flat panel x-ray receptor 119, a retractable anti-scatter grid 121, and a mechanism (not shown) for driving and retracting anti-scatter grid 121. Housing 104 also encloses the following components: a vertical travel assembly 404 for moving tube arm assembly 106 and compression arm assembly 110 up and down to accommodate a particular patient or imaging position, a tube arm assembly rotation mechanism 406 to rotate tube arm assembly 106 about axis 402 for different imaging positions, a receptor subsystem rotation mechanism 408 for rotating components of receptor subsystem 117 (such as x-ray receptor 119) about axis 402 to accommodate different operation modes, and couple/uncouple mechanism 410 to selectively couple or uncouple tube arm assembly 106 and compression arm assembly 110 to and from each other, and tube arm assembly 106 and receptor subsystem 117 to and from each other. Housing 104 also encloses suitable motors and electrical and mechanical components and connections to implement the functions discussed here. A patient shield 125, schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, can be secured to compression arm assembly 110 to provide a mechanical interlock against patient contact with the rotating x-ray tube arm assembly 106. A spacer 1002 (FIG. 4) may be used for different degrees of magnification.

#Work-station 102 comprises components similar to those in the Selenia® Dimensions® mammography system, including a display screen (typically a flat panel display that may include touch-screen functionality), user interface devices such as a keyboard, possibly a touch-screen, and a mouse or trackball, and various switches and indicator lights and/or displays. Work-station 102 also includes computer facilities similar to those of the Selenia® Dimensions® system (but adapted through hardware, firmware and software differences) for controlling gantry 100 and for processing, storing and displaying data received from gantry 100. A power generation facility for x-ray tube assembly 108 may be included in housing 104 or in work-station 102. A power source 118 powers work-station 102. Gantry 100 and work-station 102 exchange data and controls over a schematically illustrated connection 120.