US Patent 11172901 Tomosynthesis imaging apparatus and method for operating the same

A pre-imaging control unit of a mammography apparatus selects one pre-imaging focus from plural focuses of a radiation source according to selection conditions which are preset in order to prevent the concentration of load on one of the focuses. Pre-imaging for setting the irradiation conditions of radiation in tomosynthesis imaging is performed using the selected pre-imaging focus. For example, the selection conditions indicate that the pre-imaging focus is changed in each pre-imaging operation and the focus of a radiation tube adjacent to the radiation tube whose focus has been used in the previous pre-imaging is selected as the pre-imaging focus.