The present invention relates to a subject-information acquisition apparatus that receives elastic waves propagating in a subject and that acquires characteristic information of the subject, the apparatus comprising a receiver including an element that receives the elastic waves and converts the elastic waves to an electrical signal; a region designating unit that designates a region of the subject in which the characteristics information is to be acquired; a scanning unit that scans the subject with the receiver on the basis of the region; a presenting unit; and a control unit that acquires information about the time that the receiver scans the region or information about the sum of the region scanning time and an additional time and that causes the presenting unit to present the acquired time information.

An object information acquiring apparatus according to the present invention includes: an acoustic wave detecting element which detects an acoustic wave propagating from an object and which outputs an acoustic signal; a reference element which receives an input of electrical noise corresponding to electrical noise input to the acoustic wave detecting element and which outputs a reference signal; a noise reducer which reduces a component derived from the electrical noise by subtracting the reference signal from the acoustic signal; and a processor which generates image data representing characteristic information of the object using the acoustic signal in which the component derived from the electrical noise has been reduced.

A mammography apparatus includes a support plate for supporting a breast of a patient, a compression plate movable toward and away from the support plate for compressing the breast against the support plate, and a controller configured to control movement of the compression plate toward and away from the support plate. The controller is configured to adjust at least one of a rate of compression and a pressure applied to the breast based on a measurement of at least one of a diastolic pressure and a systolic pressure of the patient taken during at least one of a compression phase and a clamping phase of the mammography apparatus.

This invention provides a non-invasive diagnosis system that is not only capable of producing high-resolution, three-dimensional images of abnormalities of tissue growth inside the body but, it can also detect the type of abnormalities and their location using multispectral imaging techniques. It is possible to provide a portable, non-invasive device that is handheld and with which women may use to screen themselves for early detection of breast cancer without the need to visit a physician. As the present invention uses broadband sources and/or multiple coherent sources, secondary factors such as oxygen metabolism or blood volume associated with the cancer tissues could also be detected to provide further verification of the type. This invention would raise the accuracy of diagnosis and reduce the rate of false positives and false negatives.

Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for personalized breast imaging. In aspects, a first set of patient attributes may be collected. The first set of patient attributes may relate to, or be used to determine, for example, breast size, breast thickness, and/or three-dimensional (3D) breast shape. The first set of patient attributes may be used to customize image acquisition parameters for the patient. A second set of patient attributes may also be collected. The second set of patient attributes may relate to, or be used to determine, for example, breast elasticity and breast density. The second set of patient attributes may be used to customize breast compression parameters for the patient. The customized image acquisition parameters and breast compression parameters may then be used to perform one or more procedures (e.g., an imaging procedure, a biopsy procedure, etc.) on the patient's breast.

Processes and techniques are disclosed to identify regions of suspected malignancy and their localization within a body part or organ. These methods rely on the analysis of infrared images to identify thermal abnormalities using image post-processing techniques, numerical modeling, iterative solutions methodology or a digital library. The methods utilize noninvasive, non-radiative and no contact infrared imaging that can be used for breast cancer screening for improved prognosis.

A radiographic imaging device comprising an imaging platform that includes an imaging surface on which a breast of a test subject is to be rested; a radiation irradiation section disposed to face the imaging surface and irradiates radiation at the imaging surface; a main radiation protection portion that is disposed at the side of a region between the radiation irradiation section and the imaging surface and that is adapted to protect the test subject from the radiation; and an auxiliary radiation protection portion disposed at a side portion of the main radiation protection portion, and that is movable between a protecting position, at which the auxiliary radiation protection portion is adapted to protect the test subject, and a non-protecting position, at which the auxiliary radiation protection portion is withdrawn from the protecting position.

Processes and techniques are disclosed to identify regions of suspected malignancy and their localization within a body part or organ. These methods rely on the analysis of infrared images to identify thermal abnormalities using image post-processing techniques, numerical modeling, iterative solutions methodology or a digital library. The methods utilize noninvasive, non-radiative and no contact infrared imaging that can be used for breast cancer screening for improved prognosis.

Breast securement devices for imaging systems are provided. The securement device can include a breast tray configured to support a patient's breast. In one example, one or more walls extend from the breast tray to receive the patient's breast. In another example, a pair of arms pivotably extend at least partially over the breast tray to receive the patient's breast therebetween. In still another example, a membrane covers the breast tray and the patient's breast and selectively couples to the breast tray via a suction force. In yet another example, a paddle includes a plurality of flexible fingers that contour to the patient's breast, or includes an array of pins that independently slide within of the paddle and contour to the patient's breast, or includes a bladder having non-Newtonian fluid. Additionally or alternatively, a sling may receive the patient's breast and support the breast from below.

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.