ULTRASOUND BREAST SCREENING DEVICE

• US 20100204580A1
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Miller, Steven C., Lawrence, Robert F., Hall, Anne L., Lima, Gilbert M., Zhang, Heidi D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,107,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/443
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0825 for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/42 Details of probe positioning or probe attachment to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4218 characterised by articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4416 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8915 using a transducer array
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8938 using transducers mounted for mechanical movement in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/899 Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52079 Constructional features constructional features of transducers B06B; mounting transducers G10K11/00; constructional features of ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/44

Abstract

An ultrasound breast imaging assembly includes first and second compression plates angled with respect to one another, a breast compression area defined between the first and second compression plates, at least one pivot assembly, and an ultrasound probe. The pivot assembly allows relative motion between the first and second compression plates. The ultrasound probe, which is configured to translate over one of the first and second compression plates, includes an active matrix array (AMA) positioned on one of the first and second compression plates.

Claims

1. An ultrasound breast imaging assembly comprising:

first and second compression plates that are angled with respect to one another;

a breast compression area defined between said first and second compression plates;

at least one pivot assembly allowing relative motion between said first and second compression plates, said at least one pivot assembly being operatively and directly connected to each of said first and second compression plates; and

an ultrasound probe having an active matrix array (AMA) positioned on one of said first and second compression plates, said ultrasound probe being configured to translate over said one of said first and second compression plates.

2. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein one of said first and second compression plates remains in a fixed orientation with respect to the other.

3. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein the relative motion between said first and second compression plates occurs over an arcuate path.

4. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one pivot assembly comprises a spring that connects said first compression plate to said second compression plate.

5. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein said ultrasound breast imaging assembly comprises an upright member supported by a base, said first compression plate being operatively connected to a first pivot assembly, which is in turn connected to a first extension member, which is in turn translationally secured to said upright member.

6. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 5, wherein said second compression plate remains in a fixed orientation.

7. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 5, wherein said second compression plate is operatively connected to a second pivot assembly, which is in turn connected to a second extension member, which is in turn translationally secured to said upright member.

8. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 5, wherein said first extension member is perpendicular to said upright member, and wherein said first extension member translates along said upright member while said first and second compression plates remain angled with respect to one another, wherein the angle between the first and second compression plates changes when a breast is compressed therebetween.

9. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein said first and second compression plates are configured to compress a breast in said breast compression area so that said probe may image the breast, and wherein said first and second compression plates remain angled with respect to one another, wherein the angle between the first and second compression plates changes upon the relative motion between the first and second compression plates.

10. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein said first and second compression plates are radiolucent.

11. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein said first and second compression plates are configured to adequately contact the breast for imaging even though the breast is not substantially flattened.

12. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein said ultrasound breast imaging assembly is used in conjunction with an x-ray mammography system.

13. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 12, wherein said ultrasound breast imaging assembly is secured to a portion of said x-ray mammography system.

14. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein said AMA comprises a plurality of rows of a plurality of ultrasound elements.

15. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one group of said plurality of ultrasound elements is selectively activated during an imaging procedure.

16. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, further comprising an upright member supported by a base, and a swivel member that connects said at least one pivot assembly and first and second compression plates to said upright member, wherein said swivel member is configured to rotate said first and second compression plates through a plurality of imaging orientations.

17. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 16, wherein said plurality of imaging orientations comprise a cranio-caudal (CC) orientation and a mediolateral oblique (MLO) orientation.

18. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein said ultrasound breast imaging assembly is configured to allow a patient to be imaged in a standard mammography position.

19. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein one of said first and second compression plates comprises a sonolucent compression film, and wherein said ultrasound probe is configured to translate over said sonolucent compression film.

20. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein one of said first and second compression plates comprises a sound absorbing stabilization plate.

21. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second compression plates remain angled with respect to one another during the relative motion between said first and second compression plates, and wherein the angle between said first and second compression plates changes during the relative motion between the first and second compression plates.

22. A breast imaging and display system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

an imaging workstation in electrical communication with said CPU; and

an ultrasound breast imaging assembly operatively connected to, and in electrical communication with, said CPU, said ultrasound breast imaging assembly comprising;

an upper compression plate;

a lower compression plate, wherein the planes of said upper and lower compression plates are angled with respect to one another;

a breast compression area defined between said upper and lower compression plates;

at least one pivot assembly allowing relative motion between said upper and lower compression plates while said planes of said upper and lower compression plates remain angled with respect to one another, said at least one pivot assembly being operatively and directly connected to each of said upper and lower compression plates, wherein the angle between said compression plates changes during the relative motion between said first and second compression plates; and

an ultrasound probe having an active matrix array (AMA) positioned on one of said upper and lower compression plates, said ultrasound probe being configured to translate over said one of said upper and lower compression plates.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said at least one pivot assembly comprises a spring that connects said upper compression plate to said lower compression plate.

24. An ultrasound breast imaging assembly comprising:

a first and second compression plates, said first and second compression plates being angled with respect to one another, one of said first and second compression plates comprising a sonolucent compression film, the other of said first and second compression plates comprising a sound absorbing stabilization plate;

a breast compression area defined between said first and second compression plates, wherein said first and second compression plates are configured to compress a breast in said breast compression area so that said probe may image the breast, and wherein said first and second compression plates remain angled with respect to one another during the compression;

at least one pivot assembly allowing relative motion over an arcuate path between said first and second compression plates, said at least one pivot assembly being operatively and directly connected to each of said first and second compression plates, and wherein the angle between the first and second compression plates changes upon the relative motion between the first and second compression plates; and

an ultrasound probe having an active matrix array (AMA) positioned on one of said first and second compression plates, wherein said AMA comprises a plurality of rows having a plurality of ultrasound elements; and

wherein said ultrasound probe is configured to translate over said one of said first and second compression plates.

25. The ultrasound breast imaging assembly of claim 24, wherein said at least one pivot assembly comprises a spring that connects said first compression plate to said second compression plate.