Mammography needle biopsy system and method

A method comprising:

• taking a scout x-ray view and a first stereo x-ray view of a compressed and immobilized breast of a patient using an x-ray receptor;
• displaying a scout image derived from the scout view, selecting a location on the scout image with a target symbol, and computer-generating a pair of coordinates related to the selected location;
• computer-processing the pair of coordinates to derive information related to a first conceptual line in space that passes through a target in the breast related to the selected location in the scout image;
• displaying a first stereo image derived from said first stereo view, selecting a first marker line symbol on the stereo image, and computer-generating a first single coordinate related to the selected first marker line symbol on the first stereo image;
• computer-processing the first single coordinate to derive information related to a first conceptual plane that passes through said target in the breast and intersects said conceptual line at a first intersection;
• and
• controlling a needle guidance stage relative to the breast in accordance with positional information related to said first conceptual line and first conceptual plane.

A method comprising:

• taking a scout x-ray view and one or more stereo x-ray views of a compressed and immobilized breast of a patient using a digital x-ray receptor to receive x-rays passing through the breast;
• displaying a scout image derived from the scout view and one or more stereo images derived from respective one or more stereo views, on a computer monitor;
• selecting a location on the displayed scout image with a manually controlled first symbol displayed on the scout image;
• computer-generating two-dimensional information regarding the selected location on the scout image;
• selecting a plane crossing at least one of the one or more stereo images with a second symbol displayed on the at least one stereo image;
• computer-generating one-dimensional information regarding the selected plane;
• computer-processing the two-dimensional information from the scout image and the one-dimensional information from the at least one stereo image to produce three-dimensional information regarding a target in the breast related to both said two-dimensional and said one-dimensional information;
• and
• providing information regarding the target to a needle guidance stage and controlling the needle guidance stage accordingly.

A method comprising:

• taking two stereo x-rays views of a compressed and immobilized breast of a patient;
• displaying two stereo images derived from said two stereo views;
• marking a location on each displayed image related to an abnormality seen on each;
• computer-generating two pairs of coordinates, each pair related to a respective one of the marks;
• computer-processing the two pairs of coordinates to calculate positional information related to a pair of conceptual lines passing through the breast and to calculate a least distance between the lines;
• providing a live display of information related to said least distance;
• re-marking at least one of the displayed images to produce a new set of pairs of coordinates and using said new set in said computer-processing to calculate and display a new least distance, and selectively repeating said re-marking and computer-processing of new sets of pairs to reduce said least distance;
• and
• using information regarding the conceptual lines and the currently calculated least distance to guide a needle stage relative to the breast.

A system comprising:

• a breast platform and a compression plate movable relative to each other to compress and immobilize a patient's breast between them;
• a digital x-ray receptor at one side of the platform and plate, and an x-ray source at the other side, said receptor and source mounted for rotation about the platform to image the breast from multiple angles;
• a needle guidance stage selectively positioned between the x-ray source and the breast and carrying a needle oriented transversely to a plane conforming to a main plane of the compressed breast;
• a computer coupled with the x-ray receptor to receive x-ray exposure information therefrom for at least two different views of the breast taken at different angles and to generate image information for corresponding images;
• a computer monitor coupled with said computer to receive said image information and display images derived therefrom;
• at least one marking device coupled with said computer to selectively place a first marker at a location in a first one of said displayed images and a second marker at a line on a second one of said displayed images to mark a plane intersecting the image;
• said computer responding to said marking to produce a coordinate pair related to the marked location on the first image but only a single coordinate related to the plane marked on the second image;
• said computer processing said pair of coordinates from the first image and said single coordinate from the second image to calculate a location of a target in the breast and provide information for positioning the needle guidance stage relative to the breast and for depth of insertion of a needle into the breast.

A system comprising:

• a patient table having an opening for a breast of a prone patient;
• a breast platform and a compression plate movable relative to each other under the table to compress and immobilize a breast protruding downwardly through said opening;
• a digital x-ray receptor at one side of the platform and plate and an x-ray source at the other side, said receptor and source mounted for rotation about the platform and plate to image the breast in a scout view and one or more stereo views;
• a needle guidance stage selectively positioned between the x-ray source and the breast and carrying a needle oriented transversely to a plane conforming to a main plane of the compressed breast;
• a computer coupled with the x-ray receptor to receive x-ray exposure information therefrom for a scout view and one or more stereo view of the breast and to generate image information for corresponding scout and one or more stereo images;
• a computer monitor coupled with said computer to receive said image information and display a scout image and one or more stereo images derived therefrom;
• at least one marking device coupled with said computer to place a first marker at a location in the displayed scout image, and to place a second marker in each of the displayed one or more stereo images to mark on each a respective plane intersecting the respective stereo image;
• said computer responding to said marking to produce a coordinate pair related to the marked location on the scout image but only a single coordinate related to each marked intersecting plane;
• said computer processing said pair of coordinates from the scout image and said single coordinate related to one or more of said planes to calculate a three dimensional position of at least one target in the breast and provide information for positioning the needle guidance stage relative to the breast and for depth of insertion of a needle into the breast.

A system comprising:

• a breast platform and a compression plate movable relative to each other under the table to compress and immobilize a breast of a patient;
• an x-ray receptor at one side of the platform and plate and an x-ray source at the other side, said receptor and source mounted for rotation about the platform and breast to image the breast in views taken at different angles;
• a needle guidance stage selectively positioned between the x-ray source and the breast and carrying a needle pointing to the compressed breast;
• a display for x-ray images derived from said views;
• a marking device for selecting and marking a location of interest on each of the images;
• a computer coupled with the marking device and responsive to said selection of locations to produce two pairs of coordinates, each pair related to a respective selected locations;
• said computer processing said two pairs of coordinates calculate, in three dimensions, at least two locations in the breast and to calculate at least one least distance between said locations in the breast;
• a display device providing a live display of information related to said at least one least distance;
• and
• said computer being configured to provide information to said needle guidance stage, based in part on information relating to said at least one least distance, for positioning the needle guidance stage relative to the breast and for a depth of insertion of a needle into the breast.