System and Method for Low Dose Tomosynthesis

An integrated mammography/tomosynthesis breast imaging system comprising:

• an x-ray source;
• and
• an x-ray detector, the x-ray source and x-ray detector configurable to acquire a mammogram and a plurality of tomosynthesis projection images, wherein the plurality of tomosynthesis projection images are acquired at a tomosynthesis dose that is less than a mammogram dose used to acquire the mammogram.

A method of imaging a breast including the step of acquiring a three-dimensional image of the breast using a lower dosage than used to acquire a two-dimensional image of the breast.

A method of imaging a breast includes the steps of:

• acquiring a two-dimensional image of a breast using a first x-ray dose, acquiring a three-dimensional image of the breast using a second x-ray dose less than the first x-ray dose and using the two-dimensional image and three-dimensional image to identify calcifications and masses in the breast.

A method of imaging a breast in a breast imaging system capable of generating two-dimensional images and three-dimensional images, including the steps of:

• in response to an input selecting acquisition of a three-dimensional image, acquiring the three dimensional image including the step of controlling an x-ray dosage administered during the acquisition of the three-dimensional image so that the x-ray dosage is less than a dosage used to acquire a two-dimensional image.

The method of step 12 wherein the step of controlling adjusts at least one of an x-ray voltage, x-ray current and x-ray filter.

The method of step 12 wherein the step of controlling adjusts at least one of an angle of a tomosynthesis scan and a number of projection images of the tomosynthesis scan.