Navigation among multiple breast ultrasound volumes

A computer-implemented method for facilitating review of data associated with different volumetric ultrasonic scans of a same breast, the breast having been compressed in a generally chestward direction by a compressive surface for each of the different volumetric ultrasonic scans, the compressive surface encompassing a nipple of the breast, comprising:

• receiving, at one or more computer processing units, first and second data volumes derived respectively from the different volumetric ultrasound scans;
• displaying a first image indicating a first plurality of known locations within said first data volume;
• receiving, at the one or more computer processing units, a selection of a first location within said first displayed image;
• operating the one or more processing units to identify a second location within the second data volume having a similar spatial disposition relative to the nipple and the compressive surface as said first location within said first volume, whereby said second location at least roughly corresponds to a same locality of tissue within the breast as said first location;
• and
• displaying a second image indicating a second plurality of known locations within said second data volume including said second location, said second image comprising a visible mark denoting said second location thereon;
• wherein said operating the one or more processing units to identify the second location comprises determining a Cartesian offset of said first location relative to the nipple in a coronal reference plane and identifying said second location in the second data volume to have a similar Cartesian offset relative to the nipple in the coronal reference plane.

A computer-implemented method for facilitating review of data associated with different volumetric ultrasonic scans of a same breast comprising:

• receiving, at one or more computer processing units, first and second data volumes derived respectively from different volumetric ultrasound scans of a breast having been compressed in a generally chestward direction by a compressive surface for each of the different volumetric ultrasonic scans, the compressive surface encompassing a nipple of the breast;
• displaying a first image indicating a first plurality of known locations within said first data volume;
• receiving, at the one or more computer processing units, a selection of a first location within said first displayed image;
• operating the one or more processing units to identify a second location within the second data volume having a similar spatial disposition relative to the nipple and the compressive surface as said first location within said first volume, whereby said second location at least roughly corresponds to a same locality of tissue within the breast as said first location;
• and
• displaying a second image indicating a second plurality of known locations within said second data volume including said second location, said second image comprising a visible mark denoting said second location thereon;
• wherein said different volumetric ultrasound scans of the breast comprise identical views acquired at substantially different times.

A computer-implemented method for facilitating review of data associated with different volumetric ultrasonic scans of a same breast, comprising:

• receiving, at one or more computer processing units, first and second data volumes derived respectively from the different volumetric ultrasound scans;
• displaying on a display device a first image indicating a first plurality of known locations within said first data volume;
• receiving, at the one or more computer processing units, a selection of a first location within said first displayed image;
• operating the one or more processing units to identify a second location within the second data volume at least roughly corresponding to a same locality of tissue within the breast as said first location;
• and
• replacing said first image on said display device with a second image indicating a second plurality of known locations within said second data volume including said second location, said second image comprising a visible mark denoting said second location thereon;
• the breast having been compressed in a generally chestward direction by a compressive surface for each of the different volumetric ultrasonic scans, the compressive surface encompassing a nipple of the breast, wherein said second location within the second data volume is identified as that which has a similar spatial disposition relative to the nipple and the compressive surface as said first location within said first volume.

A computer-implemented method for facilitating review of data associated with different volumetric ultrasonic scans of a same breast, comprising:

• receiving, at one or more computer processing units, first and second data volumes derived respectively from the different volumetric ultrasound scans;
• displaying on a display device a first image indicating a first plurality of known locations within said first data volume;
• receiving, at the one or more computer processing units, a selection of a first location within said first displayed image;
• operating the one or more processing units to identify a second location within the second data volume at least roughly corresponding to a same locality of tissue within the breast as said first location;
• and
• replacing said first image on said display device with a second image indicating a second plurality of known locations within said second data volume including said second location, said second image comprising a visible mark denoting said second location thereon;
• wherein said different volumetric ultrasound scans of the breast were acquired contemporaneously and comprise different ones of the group consisting of:
• lateral frontal view, medial frontal view, inferior frontal view, and superior frontal view.