JPH01178239A - X-ray imaging apparatus for breast - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the omission of an X-ray image by arranging a fluorescent plate having one recession side on the examinee side thereof to an X-ray/light converting part while arranging a television camera so as to bring the optical axis thereof to the optical axis inclined from the center of the fluorescent plate toward the recession one side. CONSTITUTION:A fluorescent plate 8 having a recession one side on the side of an examinee 1 thereof is arranged to the X-ray/light converting part of a dark box 9 and a television camera 12 taking the image projected on fluorescent paper 6 of said fluorescent plate 8 is arranged in the dark box 9 so that the optical axis thereof becomes the optical axis 12A inclined from the center of the fluorescent plate 8 toward the recession one side. Further, an X-ray tube apparatus 2 and an image apparatus 13 are arranged in opposed relationship so as to interpose the examinee 1 therebetween. Since one side of the fluorescent plate 8 has a shape fitted to the breastbone 21, the X-ray image of the breast can be taken without being omitted. By shifting the optical axis 12A of both of an imaging tube 11 and the television camera 12 toward the examinee 1 intentionally, the bottom side part of the breast 4 can be sufficiently taken.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an X-ray apparatus for mammography, and more particularly to a breast imaging apparatus suitable for obtaining an X-ray image of the breast that can be digitally processed. .

[Prior art]

Conventional mammography X-ray equipment, for example,
EDICAL, Vol, 17. No13 (281)1
985. As described in ``Pages 703 to 706'', an image intensifier (hereinafter referred to as 1.I.

), the X-ray image was converted into a light image, the light image was converted into a video signal by a television camera, and then digital processing was added to create an X-ray image suitable for diagnosis6. Problems to be Solved] However, in the conventional mammography X-ray apparatus, as shown in FIG. The cross-sectional image of the chest, including the ribs 22, is elliptical. On the other hand, I
The image receiving surface 23 of 1.1. When circumscribed, the X-ray image of the breast 24 will be 1.1. There were problems such as the fact that the image could not be cured for a long enough time (creating missing parts of the image), which hindered diagnosis.

Furthermore, in the direction perpendicular to the body axis (inside to outside direction), there is a problem in that a portion of the crop is missing, although it is not very large, in the direction of the body axis.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can reduce defects in an X-ray image in an X-ray apparatus for mammography.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[Means to solve the problem]

A brief overview of typical inventions disclosed in this application is as follows.

That is, in one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an X-ray apparatus for mammography configured such that an X-ray tube and an imaging apparatus are disposed facing each other with a subject in between, and an X-ray/light conversion section of the imaging apparatus is provided. A fluorescent screen with one concave side is placed on the subject side, and a television camera is used to capture the image on the fluorescent screen.
The most important feature is that the optical axis is arranged so as to be inclined toward one side of the concave shape from the center of the fluorescent screen.

[Effect]

According to the above-mentioned means, the fluorescent screen that is fitted to the elliptical shape of the human body completely converts the X-ray image of the breast into a light image, and the television camera whose optical axis is placed at the end of the fluorescent screen can
Since the optical image can be photographed with sufficient coverage, there will be no loss of images in areas necessary for diagnosis.

[Embodiments of the invention]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the mammography X-ray apparatus of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

In addition, in all the figures for explaining the embodiment, parts having the same functions are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the schematic configuration of an embodiment of the mammography X-ray apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external view for explaining the schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the chest of the subject shown in Figure 1, viewed from the cranial side.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 indicates a subject (patient, etc.), which is seen from the side in a standing position. Reference numeral 2 indicates an X-ray tube device suitable for mammography, and reference numeral 3 indicates an irradiated X-ray, which has an irradiation field that covers the entire breast. 4 is a breast which has been partially compressed and becomes flat; 5 is a protective plate of fluorescent paper 6, which is made of a material that absorbs as little X-rays as possible. fluorescent paper 6
It has sufficient sensitivity to low voltage (soft X-rays) such as in mammography, and is made of fine particles that can reveal the minute anterior segment (affected area). 7 is lead glass for preventing X-ray transmission.

The fluorescent screen 8 is the protective plate 5. Fluorescent paper6. It is made of lead glass 7, and one side thereof on the subject 1 side is concave.

The subject 1 side of the dark box 9 is comprised of a concave side plate 9A, as shown in FIG. A fluorescent screen 8 having a concave side on the side of the subject 1 is arranged in the X-ray/light converting section of the dark box 9, and a television camera 12 that photographs the image of the fluorescent screen 8 on the fluorescent paper 6 is placed on the X-ray/light conversion section of the dark box 9. It is arranged in the dark va 9 so that the optical axis is an optical axis 12A (FIG. 1) tilted toward one side of the concave shape from the center of the fluorescent screen 8. That is, the first
As shown in the figure, the television camera 12 has an optical axis 12A.
is arranged so that the fluorescent screen 8 can be moved toward the subject 1. Here, the inclination of the optical axis of the television camera 12 may be fixed or variable. Reference numeral 10 denotes a lens for forming an X-ray image of the breast imaged on the fluorescent paper 6 onto the imaging tube 11. The television camera 12 has a lens 10. It consists of an image pickup tube 11 and a control circuit for the image pickup tube 11 (not shown). The video device 13 is connected to the dark box 9
, a fluorescent screen 8 and a television camera 12. The output of the television camera 12 of the video device 13 is input to a digital image processing device 14.

The image taken by the television camera 12 is then processed by the digital image processing device 14 to form an image suitable for diagnosis. This makes it possible to reduce the exposure dose and provide high-quality X-ray images using digital image processing technology.

Further, in the mammography X-ray apparatus of this embodiment, the xLA tube device 2 and the imaging device 13 are placed opposite each other with the subject 1 in between.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 (21 is the sternum, 22 is the rib, and 25 is the vertebrae), one side of the fluorescent screen 8 is attached to the sternum 21 as shown in FIGS. Since it has a shape that fits, it is possible to capture an X-ray image of the breast 4 without missing anything.

In addition, as shown in Fig. 5, an image pickup tube 11 and a television camera 1
By intentionally shifting the optical axis 12A of 2 to one subject, it is possible to sufficiently image the base of the breast 4.

The present invention has been specifically explained above based on examples, but
It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit thereof.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to sufficiently image the base of the breast, thereby reducing defects in the X-ray image of the breast. Thereby, breast diagnosis can be easily performed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the schematic configuration of an embodiment of the mammography X-ray apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external view for explaining the schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the chest of the subject shown in Figure 1, viewed from the cranial side. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the problems of the conventional mammography X-ray apparatus. In the figure, 1...subject, 2...X-ray tube device, 3...
Irradiated X-rays, 4... Breast, 8... Fluorescent screen, 9.
... dark box, 13 ... video device, 14 ... digital image processing device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An X-ray apparatus for mammography configured such that an X-ray tube apparatus and an imaging apparatus are disposed facing each other with a subject in between, the X-ray/light conversion section of the dark box of the imaging apparatus including: A fluorescent screen with one concave side is placed on the subject side, and a television camera that captures the image on the fluorescent screen is set so that its optical axis is tilted toward the concave side from the center of the fluorescent screen. An X-ray device for mammography, characterized in that the X-ray device is arranged in a.