The present invention is an apparatus for examining a body part. The
apparatus comprises a mechanism for immobilizing and compressing the body
part. The apparatus also comprises a mechanism for providing an internal
anatomical image of the body part and a mechanism for detecting single
gamma-rays emitted by a radiotracer infiltrated into the body part. The
detecting mechanism is disposed in an adjacent relationship with the
mechanism for providing an internal anatomic image so that the body part
remains in the same position during and between anatomic and radiotracer
imaging. In one embodiment, the detecting mechanism includes a detector
module disposed on one side of the immobilizing mechanism. The detector
module preferably has at least one array of gamma ray sensitive material
in communication with a position detector. In another embodiment, the
detecting mechanism includes a pair of detector modules disposed one on
each side of the immobilizing mechanism. The present invention is also an
apparatus for examining a body part which comprises a mechanism for
immobilizing and compressing the body part and a mechanism for providing a
stereotactic internal anatomical image of the body part. The apparatus
also comprises a mechanism for providing a stereotactic physiological
image of the body part in an adjacent relationship with the mechanism for
providing an internal anatomic image such that the body part remains in
the same position during and between stereotactic anatomic and radiotracer
imaging.
