# US 12,222,325 B2 · Lymph node locating device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,222,325 B2 - Document ID: US12222325B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/579,236 - Filed: 2022-07-13 - Published: 2024-09-26 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-07-13 - Assignees: The University of Westem Ontario - Applicants: The University of Western Ontario - Inventors: Michael Lavdas; Saumik Biswas; Elizabeth Pasman; Sherif Abdou; Gordon Ngo; Kirill Fedorov; Sejla Abdic; Matthew Cecchini - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222325B2 ## CPC - G01N 29/265: by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material - G01S 7/52036: {using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation} - A61B 8/08: Clinical applications (A61B8/02, A61B8/04, A61B8/06 take precedence) - A61B 8/085: {for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules} - A61B 8/42: {Details of probe positioning or probe attachment to the patient} - A61B 8/4209: {by using holders, e.g. positioning frames} - A61B 8/469: {for selection of a region of interest} - A61B 8/54: {Control of the diagnostic device} - G01N 29/0654: {Imaging} - G01N 33/4833: {of solid biological material, e.g. tissue samples, cell cultures (tissue in vivo A61B5/00; cell suspensions G01N33/48735)} - G01S 15/8938: {using transducers mounted for mechanical movement in two dimensions} - G01N 2291/0289: Internal structure, e.g. defects, grain size, texture - G01S 7/52079: {Constructional features (constructional features of transducers B06B; mounting transducers G10K11/00; constructional features of ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/44)} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The system is for use with a tissue sample and includes a tray and an apparatus. The tray is for receiving the tissue sample in use and an apparatus. The apparatus includes: a support which receives the tray in use: a probe adapted to transmit waves and identify wave echoes: a tissue marking device; and a transporter adapted to: convey the probe over the tissue sample in use, the probe and the transporter being adapted such that, in use, information about the tissue sample is collected sufficient to permit a radiologist to identify structures which resemble lymph nodes in the tissue sample; and convey the tissue marking device to locations of interest which correspond to the locations of structures which resemble lymph nodes in the tissue sample. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for use with a tissue sample, the system comprising a tray for receiving the tissue sample in use and an apparatus, the apparatus including: a support which receives the tray in use; a probe adapted to transmit waves and identify wave echoes; a tissue marking device; and a transporter adapted to: convey the probe over the tissue sample in use, the probe and the transporter being adapted such that, in use, information about the tissue sample is collected sufficient to permit a radiologist to identify structures which resemble lymph nodes in the tissue sample; and convey the tissue marking device to locations of interest which correspond to the locations of structures which resemble lymph nodes in the tissue sample. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the probe is an ultrasound probe and the transporter is adapted to automatically convey the probe to capture a complete ultrasound image of the tissue sample. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a computing facility adapted to: permit the complete ultrasound image to be viewed on a screen; and permit a viewer to make, on the screen and with one or more of a mouse, stylus, keyboard or touchscreen interface, selections, each selection being a structure which resembles a lymph node; and generate the locations of interest based upon the selections. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the transporter is adapted to automatically convey the tissue marking device to each of the locations of interest and the tissue marking device is adapted to automatically place a mark at each of the locations of interest. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the transporter system comprises an X-Y table. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the tissue marking device is a pin setter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a computing facility and wherein: the probe is an ultrasound probe and the transporter is adapted to automatically convey the probe to capture a complete ultrasound image of the tissue sample; the computing facility is adapted to: permit the complete ultrasound image to be viewed on a screen; and permit a viewer to make, on the screen and with one or more of a mouse, stylus, keyboard or touchscreen interface, selections, each selection being a structure which resembles a lymph node; and generate the locations of interest based upon the selections; the transporter is adapted to automatically convey the tissue marking device to each of the locations of interest and the tissue marking device is adapted to automatically place a mark at each of the locations of interest. ### Claim 8 A method for use with a tissue sample, the method comprising: immobilizing the sample in a tray; automatically conveying a probe adapted to transmit waves and identify wave echoes over the tissue sample to collect information about the tissue sample sufficient to permit a radiologist to identify structures which resemble lymph nodes in the tissue sample; identifying locations of interest in the sample using the information, each location of interest corresponding to the location of a structure which has a radiologic resemblance to a lymph node; and automatically marking each of the locations of interest by automatically conveying a marking device thereto. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the probe is an ultrasound probe. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the probe and the marking device are automatically conveyed by the same apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the tray is removed from the apparatus after the information is collected and placed in the apparatus after the locations of interest have been identified. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein a radiologist: uses a computing facility having a screen to view an ultrasound image of the tissue sample; and makes, on the screen and with one or more of a mouse, stylus, keyboard or touchscreen interface, selections, each selection being a structure which resembles a lymph node. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the computing facility generates the locations of interest based upon the selections. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the tray is placed in the apparatus after the sample is immobilized. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the probe is an ultrasound probe; the probe and the marking device are automatically conveyed by the same apparatus; the tray is removed from the apparatus after the information is collected and placed in the apparatus after the locations of interest have been identified; a radiologist: uses a computing facility having a screen to view an ultrasound image of the tissue sample; and makes, on the screen and with one or more of a mouse, stylus, keyboard or touchscreen interface, selections, each selection being a structure which resembles a lymph node; and the computing facility generates the locations of interest based upon the selections.