BREAST CANCER SCREENING WITH ADJUNCTIVE ULTRASOUND MAMMOGRAPHY
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Abstract
An adjunctive ultrasound mammography system and associated methods are described, comprising a scanning apparatus for facilitating standardized, repeatable breast ultrasound scans, and further comprising an adjunctive ultrasound display apparatus configured for fast, intuitive viewing of adjunctive ultrasound data concurrently with x-ray mammogram information. In one preferred embodiment, thick-slice ultrasound images are displayed near an x-ray mammogram such that a screening radiologist can quickly view the thick-slice images for assistance in interpreting the x-ray mammogram. Methods for concurrently acquiring and displaying vibrational resonance image (VDI) data are described. Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) algorithms that incorporate acoustically-based feature vectors are described, the feature vectors including lateral shadow metrics, vertical shadow metrics, posterior enhancement metrics, and VDI-based metrics. Algorithms are also described that combine x-ray mammogram CAD results with adjunctive ultrasound CAD results without requiring complex image registrations therebetween. Many of the practical, economic, and political barriers to acceptance and integration of ultrasound mammography into existing mass breast cancer screening environments are mitigated.
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Citations
264 Claims
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1-227. -227. (canceled)
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228. A system for ultrasound examination of a patient'"'"'s breast, comprising:
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a scanning apparatus including (i) an ultrasonically transparent compressive member selectively compressing the patient'"'"'s breast along a compression direction, (ii) an ultrasound transducer, and (iii) an actuation assembly coupled to the ultrasound transducer and configured to translate the ultrasound transducer in a scanning direction across the compressive member as the ultrasound transducer scans the compressed breast through the compressive member, the ultrasound transducer being long in a direction transverse to the scanning direction, said scanning apparatus acquiring image data representing a plurality of thin-slice images, said thin-slice images conforming to respective planes that are generally along the compression direction, and each of said thin-slice images representing a thin slice of the patient'"'"'s breast; a processor configured to process said image data representing said thin-slice images into image data representing a plurality of thick-slice images that are fewer in number than said thin slices, said thick-slice images conforming to respective planes that are transverse to the compression direction, and each of said thick-slice images representing a thick slice of the patient'"'"'s breast that is thicker than a slice represented by one of said thin-slice images; and a computerized display that displays a plurality of said thick-slice images to thereby represent for viewing medical information regarding the patient'"'"'s breast in fewer displayed images than if said thin-slice images were displayed. - View Dependent Claims (229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243)
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244. A method of ultrasound examination of a patient'"'"'s breast and computer-implemented processing and displaying breast ultrasound data, comprising:
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selectively generating three-dimensional image data describing a plurality of thin-slice ultrasound images by ultrasonic imaging of a patient'"'"'s breast as compressed by a compressive member in a direction of compression, said thin-slice images conforming to respective planes that are generally along the compression direction, and each of said thin-slice images representing a thin slice of the patient'"'"'s breast; computer-processing said image data representing said thin-slice images into image data representing a plurality of thick-slice images that are fewer in number than said thin slices, said thick-slice images conforming to respective planes transverse to the compression direction, and each of said thick-slice images representing a thick slice of the patient'"'"'s breast that is thicker than a slice represented by one of said thin-slice images; and displaying on a computerized display a plurality of said thick-slice images to thereby present for viewing medical information regarding the patient'"'"'s breast in fewer displayed images than if said thin-slice images were displayed. - View Dependent Claims (245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253)
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254. A computer readable medium carrying out one or more sequences of instructions wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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selectively generating image data representing image data of a plurality of thin-slice ultrasound images acquired by ultrasonically imaging a patient'"'"'s breast as compressed by a compressive member in a direction of compression, said thin-slice images conforming to respective planes that are generally along the compression direction, and each of said thin-slice images representing a thin slice of the patient'"'"'s breast; computer-processing said image data representing said thin-slice images into image data representing a plurality of thick-slice images, said thick slice imaged being fewer in number than said thin slices, said thick-slice images conforming to respective planes transverse to the compression direction, and each of said thick-slice images representing a thick slice of the patient'"'"'s breast that is thicker than a slice represented by one of said thin-slice images; and causing to be displayed on a computerized display a plurality of said thick-slice images to thereby present for viewing medical information regarding the patient'"'"'s breast in fewer displayed images than if said thin-slice images were displayed. - View Dependent Claims (255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264)
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Specification