Transillumination diagnostic system

Claim 1

A transillumination examination system operable by a single operator for observing a selected portion of the human anatomy, such as the breast, without imparting excessive heat thereto, and for taking pictures of internal regions therein of medical interest, said system comprising: (A) a light-beam projecting gun having a barrel extending axially from a hollow body section and a grip extending laterally therefrom which is adapted to be held in one hand of the operator, said barrel having a front end and a rear end; (B) a reflector-type incandescent lamp housed in said body section, the rim of the reflector being sealed to the rear end of the barrel to project light rays through the barrel into the anatomical portion to be transilluminated, the front end of the barrel being covered by a diffuser plate to provide a light beam whose intensity is substantially uniform throughout its cross section, the plate also preventing the flow of convection currents from the barrel which would otherwise tend to heat the anatomical portion, said grip being provided with a trigger-finger switch to activate said lamp; (C) a power-supply connected to said lamp through said switch and including a timer to energize said lamp upon operation of said switch for a predetermined time interval whose duration is sufficient to carry out an examination procedure but not long enough to overheat the anatomical portion being transilluminated; and (D) a camera assembly constituted by a bracket having at one end thereof a guide fixture adapted to engage the anatomical portion to be examined, and having at the other end thereof a camera whose lens is trained on said guide fixture and is focused on said anatomical portion, said camera having a shutter mechanism which is remotely operated by an actuator whereby the operator who grips the gun in one hand and operates said switch to produce the light beam for transilluminating said anatomical portion, can observe the transilluminated image created at the fixture and take a focused picture thereof by operating the actuator with his other hand or foot.