A breast compression paddle has two sidewalls, each having an upper edge. Spanning the two side walls is a leading wall which also has an upper edge and is disposed distal from a bracket that is connected to a compression arm. Foam is secured to a substrate which is movably secured to the bracket and the rigid frame between a first position and a second position. In the first position, portions of the substrate and foam are disposed above the upper edges of all three walls. In the second position, the substrate and all of the foam is disposed below the upper edges of all three walls.

A method of imaging a breast compressed with a foam paddle includes emitting an x-ray energy from an x-ray source towards the breast and the foam paddle having a plurality of upper markers and a plurality of lower markers, wherein the plurality of lower markers are movable relative to the upper markers. The x-ray energy is detected at a detector disposed opposite the breast from the x-ray source. An image of the compressed breast is generated based on the detected x-ray energy. At least one of the plurality of upper markers and at least one of the plurality of lower markers is identified in the image. A thickness of the compressed breast at a plurality of thickness locations is determined, wherein each of the plurality of thickness locations corresponds to at least one of the plurality of lower markers.

A method of identifying a location of a region of interest within a breast utilizes compressed location coordinates for the region of interest recorded while the breast is under compression during an x-ray imaging procedure such as mammography or tomosynthesis. The compressed location coordinates are converted to uncompressed location coordinates using a mathematical tissue deformation model. The volume and density of the breast affects how the coordinates are translated for use with an ultrasound imaging system. A system including a computing system in communication with an ultrasound imaging system is utilized to perform the method. The resultant predicted location coordinates of the region of interest are used to guide a healthcare provider to potential lesions that are to be examined using ultrasound, where the potential lesions had been previously identified during a screening mammogram.

According to some aspects, a carrier configured for use with a broadband x-ray source comprising an electron source and a primary target arranged to receive electrons from the electron source to produce broadband x-ray radiation in response to electrons impinging on the primary target is provided. The carrier comprising a housing configured to be removeably coupled to the broadband x-ray source and configured to accommodate a secondary target capable of producing monochromatic x-ray radiation in response to incident broadband x-ray radiation, the housing comprising a transmissive portion configured to allow broadband x-ray radiation to be transmitted to the secondary target when present, and a blocking portion configured to absorb broadband x-ray radiation.

Systems and methods are provided for a multi-scale deep learning-based digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) image reconstruction that mitigates the superposition of breast tissue along with the limited angular artifacts, and improves in-depth resolution of the resulting images. A multi-scale deep neural network may be used where a first network may focus on a first parameter, such as limited angular artifacts reduction, and a second network may focus on a second parameter, such as image detail refinement. The output from the first neural network may be used as the input for the second neural network. The systems and methods may reduce the sparse-view artifacts in DBT via deep learning without losing image sharpness and contrast. A deep neural network may be trained in a way to reduce training-time computational cost. An ROI loss method may be used for further improvement on the resolution and contrast of the images.

Systems and methods for breast x-ray tomosynthesis that enhance spatial resolution in the direction in which the breast is flattened for examination. In addition to x-ray data acquisition of 2D projection tomosynthesis images ETp1 over a shorter source trajectory similar to known breast tomosynthesis, supplemental 2D images ETp2 are taken over a longer source trajectory and the two sets of projection images are processed into breast slice images ETr that exhibit enhanced spatial resolution, including in the thickness direction of the breast. Additional features include breast CT of an upright patient's flattened breast, multi-mode tomosynthesis, and shielding the patient from moving equipment.

The present disclosure is related to an imaging system. The imaging system may include at least one array radiation source and a detector. Each of the at least one array radiation source may include a plurality of point radiation sources. The at least one array radiation source may be configured to emit at least one radiation beam. The detector may be configured to detect at least part of the at least one radiation beam.

A system and method for displaying and navigating breast tissue is configured for or includes obtaining a plurality of 2D and/or 3D images of a patient's breast; generating a synthesized 2D image of the breast from the obtained images; displaying the synthesized 2D image; receiving a user command, or otherwise detecting through a user interface, a user selection or other indication of an object or region in the synthesized 2D image; and displaying at least a portion of one or more images from the plurality, including a source image and/or most similar representation of the user selected or indicated object or region.

An imaging system, such as a DBT system, capable of providing an operator of the system with information concerning the location, magnitude and direction of motion detected by the system during performance of the scan to enhance image processing. The imaging system provides the motion information to the operator directly in conjunction with the images processed by the imaging system thereby providing the operator with sufficient information for decisions regarding the need for additional images for completing the scan with the imaging system before the patient is discharged, or even before the breast is decompressed.

A back illuminated sensor is included as a collector component of a detector for use in intraoral and extraoral 2D and 3D dental radiography, digital tomosynthesis, photon-counting computed tomography, positron emission tomography (PET), and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The disclosed imaging method includes one or more intraoral or extraoral emitters for emitting a low-dose gamma ray or x-ray beam through an examination area; and one or more intraoral or extraoral detectors for receiving the beam, each detector including a back illuminated sensor. Within the detector, the beam is converted into light and then focused and collected at a photocathode layer without passing through the wiring layer of the back illuminated sensor.