| abstract |
A method for examining a body part is disclosed including the steps of immobilizing and compressing the body part to provide reproducible localization of an area of interest in the body part and to improve diagnostic quality of an image of the body part and obtaining at least one physiological image of the body part using multiple projection views of the body part. In an alternative embodiment a method of examining a body part is disclosed that includes the steps of injecting a patient with an agent whose concentration in the body part reflects the presence of malignant cells in the body part, said agent being a source of signal, immobilizing and compressing the body part to provide reproducible localization of an area of interest in the body part and to improve diagnostic quality of an image of the body part, placing a detector capable of detecting signals emitted by the agent in proximity to the body part; obtaining an image that displays the physiology of the body part based on signals emitted by the agent. In an alternative embodiment a method of examining a body part having tissue containing malignant cells is disclosed that includes the steps of injecting a patient with an agent whose concentration in the body part depends on the physiological processes in the body part, the agent being a source of signal, immobilizing and compressing the body part to provide reproducible localization of an area of interest in the body part and to improve diagnostic quality of an image of the body part, obtaining an internal anatomical image of the body part, placing a detector capable of detecting signals emitted by the agent in proximity to the body part and obtaining an image that displays the physiology of the body part based on signals emitted by the agent. |