Methods and apparatus for performing sonomammography

• US 5,474,072 A
• Filed: 10/29/1993
• Issued: 12/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Neovision LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Shmulewitz, Ascher
• Primary Examiner(s): JAWORSKI, FRANCIS J
• Application Number:
  US08/145,958
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 128/653.1, 128/660.01, 128/660.09, 128/660.08, 128/660.10, 128/661.01, 128/915, 378/37, 378/208
• US Class Current: 600/446
• 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 2017/00902 transparent or translucent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00924 for ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/168 Fluid filled sensor housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5247 combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0825 for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4209 by using holders, e.g. positioning frames
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4272 involving the acoustic interface between the transducer and the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5238 for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image for image registration algorithms G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/17 for soft tissue, e.g. breast-holding devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/915 Ultrasound mammography

Abstract

Apparatus is provided that combines mammography equipment with an ultrasonic transducer to generate ultrasonic images of the internal structure of breast tissue that are in geometric registration with a mammogram. The apparatus includes a radiolucent and sonolucent compression plate, and in alternative embodiments, a gantry driven ultrasound transducer or a phased array ultrasonic transducer. Methods are also provided for generating a mammogram and a plurality of corresponding ultrasound images without moving the breast between the mammogram exposure and the ultrasound imaging.

Claims

1. In apparatus for obtaining radiological images of biological tissue by passing X-ray radiation through a biological tissue to form an image in a receptor, the apparatus comprising an X-ray source for emitting X-ray radiation, an upper compression surface and a lower compression surface adapted for immobilizing the biological tissue therebetween, and a receptor disposed beneath the lower compression surface, the X-ray source disposed above the upper compression surface so that X-ray radiation emitted from the source passes through the biological tissue and is received by the receptor, the improvement comprising:

a compression plate that is radiolucent and sonolucent, the compression plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface forming the upper compression surface;

an ultrasonic transducer disposed above the compression plate;

drive means for moving the ultrasonic transducer through a predetermined path across the upper surface of the compression plate while the biological tissue remains immobilized between the upper and lower compression surfaces, so that the ultrasonic transducer generates a plurality of ultrasound images of the biological tissue that are in geometric registration with the image formed in the receptor.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the compression plate comprises a material having the properties of Kapton.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a gel pad for acoustically coupling a portion of the biological tissue to the ultrasonic transducer.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the drive means further comprises:

a gantry support;

a gantry movably engaged with the gantry support for movement in the distal and proximal directions;

a carriage movably engaged with the gantry for lateral movement.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the drive means further comprises:

a first motorized cable arrangement for driving the gantry along the gantry support;

a second motorized cable arrangement for driving the carriage along the gantry; and

circuitry for controlling operation of the first and second motorized cable arrangements.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a biopsy instrument support;

means for aligning the biopsy instrument support with the ultrasonic transducer so that a medical practitioner may perform a biopsy guided by the plurality of ultrasonic images.

7. In apparatus for obtaining radiological images of biological tissue by passing X-ray radiation through a biological tissue to form an image in a receptor, the apparatus comprising an X-ray source for emitting X-ray radiation, an upper compression surface and a lower compression surface adapted for immobilizing the biological tissue therebetween, and a receptor disposed beneath the lower compression surface, the X-ray source disposed above the upper compression surface so that X-ray radiation emitted from the source passes through the biological tissue and is received by the receptor, the improvement comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer disposed beneath the lower compression surface and acoustically coupled thereto for transmitting acoustic energy to the biological tissue, the ultrasonic transducer being radiolucent;

control circuitry for activating the ultrasonic transducer to generate a plurality of ultrasound images of the biological tissue while the biological tissue remains immobilized between the upper and lower compression surfaces, the plurality of ultrasound images of the biological tissue being in geometric registration with the image formed in the receptor.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein the ultrasonic transducer comprises a multiplicity of piezoelectric transducer elements.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the control circuitry further comprises circuitry for activating predetermined ones of the multiplicity of piezoelectric transducer elements to provide beam forming and elevational focussing of the acoustic energy.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 further comprising a gel pad for acoustically coupling a portion of the biological tissue to the ultrasonic transducer.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the control circuitry comprises circuitry for activating a predetermined plurality of the multiplicity of piezoelectric elements to generate an ultrasonic image at a predetermined location, the apparatus further comprising:

a biopsy instrument support;

means for aligning the biopsy instrument support with the predetermined plurality of piezoelectric elements so that a medical practitioner may perform a biopsy guided by the ultrasonic image at the predetermined location.

12. Apparatus for generating a plurality of ultrasound images of a biological tissue, the apparatus for use with an X-ray system that forms an image of the biological tissue in a receptor, so that when the apparatus is used with the X-ray system the plurality of ultrasound images of the biological tissue are in geometric registration with the image formed in the receptor, the apparatus comprising:

a compression plate that is radiolucent and sonolucent, the compression plate having first and second surfaces, the first surface forming a compression surface against which the biological tissue is immobilized;

an ultrasonic transducer disposed adjacent the second surface;

drive means for moving the ultrasonic transducer through a predetermined path across the second surface while the biological tissue remains immobilized against the compression surface.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the compression plate comprises a material having the properties of Kapton.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 further comprising a gel pad for acoustically coupling a portion of the biological tissue to the ultrasonic transducer.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the drive means further comprises:

a gantry support;

a gantry movably engaged with the gantry support for movement in the distal and proximal directions;

a carriage movably engaged with the gantry for lateral movement.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the drive means further comprises:

a first motorized cable arrangement for driving the gantry along the gantry support;

a second motorized cable arrangement for driving the carriage along the gantry; and

circuitry for controlling operation of the first and second motorized cable arrangements.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 further comprising:

a biopsy instrument support;

means for aligning the biopsy instrument support with the ultrasonic transducer so that a medical practitioner may perform a biopsy guided by the plurality of ultrasonic images.

18. Apparatus for generating a plurality of ultrasound images of a biological tissue, the apparatus for use with an X-ray system that forms an image of the biological tissue in a receptor, so that when the apparatus is used with the X-ray system the plurality of ultrasound images of the biological tissue are in geometric registration with the image formed in the receptor, the apparatus comprising:

a compression surface against which the biological tissue is immobilized, the compression surface being radiolucent;

an ultrasonic transducer disposed adjacent to the compression surface and acoustically coupled thereto for transmitting acoustic energy to the biological tissue;

control circuitry for activating the ultrasonic transducer to generate a plurality of ultrasound images of the biological tissue while the biological tissue remains immobilized against the compression surface.

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein the ultrasonic transducer comprises a multiplicity of piezoelectric transducer elements.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein the control circuitry further comprises circuitry for activating predetermined ones of the multiplicity of piezoelectric transducer elements to provide beam forming and elevational focussing of the acoustic energy.

21. The apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein the control circuitry comprises circuitry for activating a predetermined plurality of the multiplicity of piezoelectric elements to generate an ultrasonic image at a predetermined location, the apparatus further comprising:

a biopsy instrument support;

means for aligning the biopsy instrument support with the predetermined plurality of piezoelectric elements so that a medical practitioner may perform a biopsy guided by the ultrasonic image at the predetermined location.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising a gel pad for acoustically coupling a portion of the biological tissue to the ultrasonic transducer.

23. The apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein the transducer is radiolucent.