A method for characterising a mechanical property of a material. The method comprises the steps of providing the material having a deformable portion and providing a device having an optical element that is arranged to detect electromagnetic radiation.

A method of examining breasts of a patient in an examination room to detect for potential breast cancer includes sliding a camera assembly along a rail between a pair of rail ends on a horizontal plane between a plurality of positions. A plurality of control thermographic images and a plurality of test thermographic images are recorded during the sliding movement to allow the camera assembly to consecutively record the control and test thermographic images of breasts of the patient from each of the plurality of positions. The camera assembly is slid to first and second optimal positions that are each disposed adjacent to one of the rail ends and in alignment with first and second sides of the breasts of the patient to capture images of the lymph nodes on the sides of the breasts.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for imaging, for example, tumor resections.

A method of obtaining and analyzing at least one tissue sample includes forming, in a tissue container, first tracking data associated with the at least one tissue sample. Second tracking data is formed, in a transport container. The second tracking data is associated with the at least one tissue sample. The at least one tissue sample is placed in the tissue container. The first and second tracking data from the tissue container and the transport container are scanned with an electronic scanning system to ensure that the first and second tracking data are both associated with the removed tissue sample.

A mammography system includes a biopsy guidance system that employs a simplified robot arm support, to enable previously unusable locations for the mounting of the biopsy device directly to the mammography system, such as on a compression paddle, combined with a vision guidance and control system. The vision system operates to determine the position of the biopsy device and the biopsy needle tip, as well as to control the movement/operation of the biopsy guidance system, such as movement to the final end-pose or pre-firing position of the biopsy device to perform the biopsy procedure. The vision system utilizes one or more cameras to visually determine the position the biopsy device relative to a region of interest being biopsied within the required tolerances for the biopsy procedure without the need for precise positional information to be provided by the biopsy guidance system to the mammography system.

A method of performing a procedure on a breast of a patient includes compressing the breast of the patient with a paddle of an imaging system and performing an initial imaging procedure on the breast of the patient. The initial imaging procedure includes imaging the breast with an x-ray source at a first energy to obtain a first image and a second energy to obtain a second image. A composite image is generated from the first image and the second image and displayed. A region of interest on the composite image is targeted and a biopsy is performed.

A method of ion imaging is disclosed that includes automatically sampling a plurality of different locations on a sample using a front device which is arranged and adapted to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from the sample. Mass spectral data and/or ion mobility data corresponding to each location is obtained and the obtained mass spectral data and/or ion mobility data is used to construct, train or improved a sample classification model.

A method is disclosed comprising providing a biological sample on a swab, directing a spray of charged droplets onto a surface of the swab in order to generate a plurality of analyte ions, and analysing the analyte ions.

A reusable core biopsy device having a disposable needle assembly to trap and a reusable drive assembly to selectively drive the disposable needle assembly. The disposable needle assembly includes a contamination collection member defining a fluidically-sealed contamination collection chamber to receive and collect contamination during the extraction of the organic tissue sample. The reusable drive assembly includes a locking mechanism to maintain reusable drive assembly in a locked state. An activation member is to place the reusable drive assembly in an unlocked state, to thereby drive, in sequence, the inner needle member and the outer cannula member forward to extract the organic tissue sample.

A method of analysis using mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: using a first device to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of a first target of biological material; and el mass and/or ion mobility analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said aerosol, smoke, or vapour, or ions derived therefrom so as to obtain first spectrometric data. The method may use an ambient ionisation method.