Chest Wall Coil Array for Breast Imaging

• US 20090149738A1
• Filed: 11/24/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invivo Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Hologic Incorporated
• Inventors: Richmond, Joshua, Luginbuhl, Chris, Garcia Coni, Mariana, Jankowski, Jakub, Piron, Cameron Anthony, Wang, Han
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/422
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/34084 implantable coils or coils being geometrically adaptable to the sample, e.g. flexible coils or coils comprising mutually movable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3415 comprising arrays of sub-coils , i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels

Abstract

A RF coil array is provided for imaging a chest wall of a patient including a breast. The RF coil array includes a rigid cup-shaped element and a flexible, substantially flat portion. The rigid cup-shaped element is sized and dimensioned to receive a small breast, such as a post mastectomy breast or a male breast, and the flexible portion is configured to be conformed to the patient adjacent the breast to allow for imaging of the breast, and adjacent areas while facing the chest wall.

Claims

1. A coil array for immobilizing the tissue to be imaged against the chest wall of a patient, the coil array comprising:

a flexible mounting element;

an RF coil array formed on the mounting element; and

a rigid cup-shaped element coupled to the flexible mounting element, wherein the rigid cup-shaped element is sized and dimensioned to receive a breast while facing the chest wall of the patient, and wherein the flexible mounting element is configured to be flexed to position the flexible mounting element adjacent the patient.

2. The coil array as recited in claim 1, wherein the flexible mounting element includes a generally flat flexible portion adjacent the rigid cup-shaped element.

3. The coil array as defined in claim 1, further comprising an adjustment device positioned adjacent the flexible mounting element, and configured to bend the flexible mounting element to conform to the body of the patient adjacent the breast.

4. The coil array as defined in claim 3, wherein the adjustment device is receivable in a patient support structure and is configured to move laterally along a lateral track provided in the patient support structure.

5. The coil array as defined in claim 3, wherein the adjustment device is coupled to a vertical track and is configured to move along the vertical track.

6. The coil array as defined in claim 3, wherein the adjustment device is receivable in a patient support structure and is configured to move laterally along a lateral track provided in the patient support structure and vertically along a vertical track coupled to the lateral track.

7. The coil array as defined in claim 1, wherein the flexible mounting element is comprises a material that can be bent into and retain a position adjacent an anatomy of interest in the patient.

8. A kit for breast imaging, the kit comprising:

a chest wall coil array comprising;

a flexible mounting element;

an RF coil array formed on the flexible mounting element; and

a rigid cup-shaped element coupled to the flexible mounting element, wherein the rigid cup-shaped element is sized and dimensioned to receive a breast while facing the chest wall of the patient, and wherein the flexible mounting element is configured to be flexed to position the flexible mounting element adjacent the patient and to immobilize the tissue of the patient using compression; and

a lateral array comprising;

a substantially flat mounting element;

an RF coil array formed on the mounting element;

wherein the chest wall coil array is configured for immobilization of tissue in all directions using compression substantially perpendicular to a chest wall of a patient including a breast, and the lateral array is configured for immobilizing breast tissue in all directions using compression in the medial-lateral direction adjacent to the chest wall.

9. The kit as recited in claim 8, wherein the mastectomy coil array comprises an adjustment device positioned adjacent the flexible mounting element, and configured to bend the flexible mounting element to conform to the body of the patient adjacent the breast.

10. The kit as recited in claim 9, wherein the adjustment device is mounted to be moveable vertically and laterally, to bend the coil array in two dimensions.