Multi-position ultrasound system
AssigneeHologic, Inc.
InventorsKenneth F. DEFREITAS, Ian SHAW, Kenneth BROOKS, Jay A. STEIN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compression assembly is coupled to the gantry of an ultrasound breast imaging system. The compression assembly includes a pair of compression paddles mounted on a positioning track. Each compression paddle houses a transducer and has a compression material surface for patient contact. A motor moves the compression paddles along the positioning track to immobilize the breast for ultrasound imaging.
Claims25
An ultrasound breast imaging system comprising:
- a gantry;
- and
- a compression assembly coupled to the gantry, the compression assembly comprising:
- a pair of compression paddles mounted on a positioning track, each compression paddle housing a transducer and having a patient contact surface comprising a compression material;
- and
- a motor for moving at least one of the compression paddles along the positioning track to immobilize a breast for ultrasound imaging.
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A breast ultrasound imaging system comprising:
- a gantry;
- an arm extending from the gantry;
- a paddle support structure disposed at an end of the arm opposite the gantry;
- a compression paddle assembly coupled to the paddle support structure, wherein the compression paddle assembly comprises at least one compression element comprising:
- a paddle support arm secured to the paddle support structure;
- a compression paddle pivotably secured to the paddle support arm;
- and
- an ultrasound transducer disposed within the compression paddle.
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A method of imaging a breast with an ultrasound imaging system comprising a first compression paddle and a second compression paddle, the method comprising:
- positioning the first compression paddle and the second compression paddle in a first position wherein a compression surface of each of the first compression paddle and the second compression paddle are disposed facing each other;
- compressing when in the first position, a first surface of the breast against the first compression paddle and a second surface of the breast against the second compression paddle;
- performing an ultrasound imaging procedure of the first surface of the breast and the second surface of the breast in the first position while the at least one breast is compressed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.