Motorized mammographic biopsy apparatus

• US 5,415,169 A
• Filed: 02/17/1993
• Issued: 05/16/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Fischer Imaging Corporation
• Inventors: Siczek, Bernard, DePourbaix, Michael A., Assa, Menachem
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NASSER, ROBERT L
• Application Number:
  US08/018,805
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 128/751-755, 128/749, 128/750, 128/916, 128/660.09, 128/653 R, 128/653 A, 364/413.01, 606/130, 606/167-170
• US Class Current: 600/427
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0233 Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0435 with means for imaging suspended breasts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/17 for soft tissue, e.g. breast-holding devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects

Abstract

A motorized biopsy needle positioner employed in a mammographic needle biopsy system receives coordinate information representative of an identified point of interest within a patient'"'"'s captive breast under examination and automatically positions a biopsy needle in accordance with that coordinate information to permit insertion of the biopsy needle to the identified point of interest. An offset mode of operation of the motorized biopsy needle positioner automatically positions the biopsy needle in accordance with coordinate information representative of an offset point within the patient'"'"'s breast that is offset from the previously identified point of interest to permit insertion of the biopsy needle to that offset point. A manual mode of operation of the motorized biopsy needle positioner permits the user to actuate directional keys of a user control unit to position the biopsy needle in one or more directions, as specified by the actuated directional keys.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing medical procedures on a pendulant breast of a patient in a prone position, comprising:

(a) table means for supporting a patient in a prone position, the table means having a breast aperture therein through which one of the patient'"'"'s breasts is permitted to pendulantly protrude within a predetermined frame of reference;

(b) compressing means, disposed beneath said table means, for compressing the pendulant breast of the prone patient into a mammographic position relative to said predetermined frame of reference;

(c) transmitting means, positionable relative to said predetermined frame of reference, disposed beneath said table means, for transmitting an imaging signal through the pendulant breast;

(d) receiving means, positionable relative to said predetermined frame of reference, disposed beneath said table means, in opposing relation to said transmitting means with the pendulant breast positioned therebetween, for receiving at least a portion of said transmitted imaging beam passing through the pendulant breast of the prone patient and for providing information regarding said received signal portion;

(e) identifying means, employing said information, for identifying locations of interest within the pendulant breast so as to permit determination of three dimensional coordinates of said identified locations of interest within said predetermined frame of reference, said identifying means including display means for displaying first and second images of the pendulant breast corresponding to first and second imaging viewpoints, respectively, relative to said predetermined frame of reference, and an input means for obtaining positional information regarding said locations of interest within the pendulant breast, said input means including a visual cue which is positionable relative to said displayed images, wherein positional data relative to a position of said visual cue is obtained by activating said input means;

wherein said identifying means is operative by a user for viewing said displayed images of the pendulant breast to identify and determine three-dimensional coordinates of a selected location of interest within the pendulant breast by positioning said visual cue relative to said selected location of interest as viewed in said first image of the pendulant breast and activating said input means to obtain first image data, positioning said visual cue relative to said selected location of interest as viewed in said second image of the pendulant breast and activating said input means to obtain second image data and employing said first image data and said second image data to determine said three-dimensional coordinates of said selected location of interest within the pendulant breast; and

wherein said identifying means is further operative by a user for viewing only one of said displayed images of the pendulant breast to identify and determine three-dimensional coordinates of at least one offset location which is spatially offset relative to said selected location of interest by positioning said visual cue relative to said offset location as viewed in said only one of said displayed images of the pendulant breast and activating said input means to obtain offset data; and

(f) motorized means, operatively associated with said identifying means, for positioning a medical instrument relative to said predetermined frame of reference so as to permit said medical instrument to be inserted within the pendulant breast to said selected location of interest and/or said offset location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for determining an offset direction relative to said selected location, said offset direction defined by said selected location and said offset location, wherein said identifying means is operative for obtaining said offset data by repeatedly energizing said input means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for digitally storing information regarding said identified locations of interest for use in subsequent insertion of said medical instrument within the pendulant breast.