Disclosed embodiments provide an apparatus and method for imaging breast tissue of a subject, wherein a subject is positioned on a structure so that at least a portion of the subject's body is supported by the structure, magnetic resonance imaging is performed on the portion of the subject's body using an MRI system including a plurality of MRI coils positioned in proximity to the structure, wherein, while the portion of the subject's body is positioned upon the structure, breast tissue of the subject's body is compressed in the proximity of plurality of MRI coils.

A device for fixing the outer boundaries of a region of body tissue in a secondary plane (and optionally in a tertiary plane) during medical imaging, examination, and/or intervention. The caliper device includes a caliper bar with two sliding caliper arms that provide fixation of the region of tissue in the secondary plane. One embodiment provides tertiary fixation with a center plate fixator that extends from a center plate positioner. The caliper device is positioned around the region of body tissue within the primary plane fixation instrumentation. The caliper arms (and optionally, the center plate fixator) move together to “thicken” the region of tissue between them. The device is preferably constructed of radiotransparent material and for single-use applications.

One aspect of the present invention relates to an examined-portion information acquisition apparatus including two examined-portion holding members each configured to hold one of two examined portions, a receiver configured to receive an acoustic wave, and a moving system configured to move the receiver from a position at which the receiver receives an acoustic wave from one examined portion held by one examined-portion holding member among the two examined-portion holding members to a position at which the receiver receives an acoustic wave from another examined portion held by the other examined-portion holding member, wherein the receiver includes a plurality of transducers configured to receive an acoustic wave, and a supporting member on which the plurality of transducers are arranged, and the plurality of transducers are arranged on the supporting member such that directivity axes of some transducers among the plurality of transducers converge.

Provided is an object information acquiring apparatus including a supporting unit configured to be capable of holding a liquid acoustic matching member, a plurality of receiving elements each supported on the supporting unit to receive an acoustic wave propagated from an object via the acoustic matching member and output an electrical signal, a scanning unit that changes a relative position of each of the receiving elements and the object by moving the supporting unit, a controlling unit that controls a velocity of movement of the supporting unit performed by the scanning unit, and a processing unit that acquires specific information of an inside of the object based on the electrical signal. The scanning unit moves the supporting unit on a path having portions of different curvatures.

A breast imaging apparatus includes a radiation source that irradiates a breast of a subject with radiation, a radiation detector that detects the radiation transmitted through the breast to output a radiographic image, and an ultraviolet light source that performs irradiation of ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light source irradiates an imaging table, a face guard, a pressing plate, and the like with the ultraviolet light in a case where a turn-on command signal input from an operator through an input device is input.

An assembly for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a patient and a method of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a patient using different MRI scanners is disclosed. In one example, the assembly includes a plurality of RF coils, wherein the RF coils are configured to be positioned adjacent to an anatomy of interest, a patient support structure configured to support of the patient, a base removably coupled to the patient support structure, the base and the patient support being configured for receipt in the bore of an MRI scanner, and an interface coupled to the plurality of RF coils and to the MRI scanner and configured to connect the plurality of RF coils and the MRI scanner and to selectively control a first RF coil and a second RF coil included in the plurality of RF coils.

Disclosed is an acoustic wave receiving apparatus including: a light irradiation unit; a receiving array receiving photoacoustic waves generated by a subject portion to output photoacoustic signals; a transmitting and receiving array transmitting ultrasound waves to the subject portion and receiving echo waves to output ultrasound signals; an array support unit having a first portion supporting the receiving array a second portion supporting the transmitting and receiving array; a scanning unit integrally scanning the arrays. The array support unit is so configured that effective reception region and a focusing region formed by the transmitting and receiving array do not overlap each other.

An acoustic wave receiving apparatus comprises: a light irradiation unit that irradiates a subject portion with light; a receiving array; a transmitting and receiving array; an array support unit that has a supporting region for supporting the receiving array and supports the transmitting and receiving array; and a scanning unit that scans an effective reception region, wherein a focusing region formed by the transmitting and receiving array transmits the ultrasound waves and the effective reception region overlap each other.

To provide a photoacoustic probe capable of acquiring subject information for reducing generation of artifacts without increasing the number of wires connected to the outside. Provided is a probe including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the ultrasonic transducers are divided into a plurality of groups, two adjoining ultrasonic transducers belong to different groups, and the probe includes a group selection unit configured to switch signals of the ultrasonic transducers to be outputtable for each of the groups.

The technology concerning improvement of resolution of an acoustic wave sensor having a hemispherical shape or the like is provided. An ultrasonic transducer unit includes an ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements, and a probe casing configured to support a plurality of the ultrasonic transducers, and to have a concave portion facing a subject. The plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements is arranged on a same plane facing a center of curvature of the probe casing. The plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements is arranged in a rotationally symmetrical manner about a normal line connecting the center of curvature of the probe casing to a point on a plane of the ultrasonic transducer.