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US 7,742,796 B2Granted
Breast immobilization device and method of imaging the breast
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJeffrey Wayne Eberhard, Abdulrahman Abdallah Al-khalidy, Cynthia Elizabeth Landberg, Bernhard Erich Hermann Claus, Reinhold Franz Wirth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for imaging a breast is provided. The method includes positioning a breast within a breast holder including a flexible membrane and creating at least a partial vacuum within the flexible membrane. A method of upgrading a mammography system and various configurations of breast holders are also provided.
Claims17
A method of upgrading a mammography system, comprising:
- removing at least one breast support structure from a mammography system;
- and
- replacing the removed breast support structure with a breast holder,
- wherein the breast support structure comprises a breast compression paddle, a breast stand, or both, wherein the breast holder comprises a base plate, a ring-shaped rim coupled to the base plate, and a flexible membrane having a substantially continuous surface, and wherein the flexible membrane is coupled to the base plate and the rim, the flexible membrane comprising a substantially open end, and a substantially closed end coupled to an opening in the base plate.
1 more element
A breast imaging system, comprising;
- an imaging source configured to provide an imaging beam;
- a breast holder configured to conform to and immobilize the breast within the breast holder, wherein the breast holder is coupled to a vacuum pump for generating a partial vacuum between the breast and the breast holder, wherein the breast holder comprises a base plate, a ring-shaped rim coupled to the base plate via support structures, and a flexible membrane having a substantially continuous surface, and wherein the flexible membrane is coupled to the base plate and the rim, the flexible membrane comprising a substantially open end, and a substantially closed end coupled to an opening in the base plate;
- a detector configured to detect the imaging beam that passes through the breast;
- and
- a positioning unit configured to position the imaging source and the detector such that the imaging source, the breast holder, and the detector are in the same axial line.
2 more elements
A breast holder, comprising:
- an outer shell;
- a base plate coupled to the outer shell;
- a ring-shaped rim coupled to the outer shell, such that the outer shell, the base plate and the rim together form a covered structure;
- and
- a flexible membrane having a substantially continuous surface, wherein the flexible membrane is coupled to a first opening, provided in the base plate, and the rim.
2 more elements
A breast holder, comprising:
- an outer shell;
- a base plate coupled to the outer shell;
- a ring-shaped rim coupled to the outer shell, such that the outer shell, the base plate and the rim together form a covered structure;
- and
- a flexible membrane having a substantially continuous surface, wherein the flexible membrane is coupled to the base plate and the rim, the flexible membrane comprising a substantially open end and a substantially closed end coupled to an opening in the base plate, and wherein the opening facilitates fluid flow into and out of the flexible membrane when a breast is positioned within the flexible membrane.
2 more elements
A breast holder, comprising:
- a base plate;
- a ring-shaped rim coupled to the base plate via support structures;
- and
- a flexible membrane having a substantially continuous surface, wherein the flexible membrane is coupled to the base plate and the rim, the flexible membrane comprising a substantially open end, and a substantially closed end coupled to an opening in the base plate, wherein the opening facilitates fluid flow into and out of the flexible membrane when a breast is positioned within the flexible membrane.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.