Breast compression and imaging systems and methods
AssigneeHologic, Inc.
InventorsShawn St. Pierre, Alan Rego, Richard Gladwin Edwards, Joseph Vartolone, Timothy Wells
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compression paddle with a plurality of markers is advanced towards a patient's breast which has been positioned on a support platform for an imaging procedure. An initial position of the compression paddle is detected relative to the support platform when a portion of the breast is contacted. An initial marker is identified which is associated with a feature of the breast when the compression paddle is in the initial position. A compression target marker is based at least in part on the initial position and the initial marker.
Claims20
(canceled)
A method of compressing a breast for an imaging procedure, the method comprising:
- positioning the breast within a volume at least partially defined by a support platform of an imaging system;
- advancing a compression paddle towards the breast positioned on the support platform and within the volume so as to compress the breast;
- continuously monitoring a position of the breast within the volume via at least one sensor of the imaging system;
- and
- terminating breast compression, wherein the termination of breast compression is based at least partially on the monitored position of the breast.
An imaging system comprising:
- an x-ray source;
- a support platform housing an x-ray detector, the support platform at least partially defining a volume configured to receive a breast;
- a compression paddle disposed between the x-ray source and the support platform;
- at least one sensor;
- at least one processing unit;
- and
- memory operatively coupled in communication with the at least one processing unit, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, are configured to cause the imaging system to perform a set of operations comprising:
- advancing the compression paddle towards the breast positioned on the support platform and within the volume so as to compress the breast;
- continuously monitoring a position of the breast within the volume via the at least one sensor;
- and
- terminating breast compression, wherein the termination of breast compression is based at least partially on the monitored position of the breast.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.