Apparatus and method for improved tissue imaging
First Claim
1. An improved tissue imaging device comprising:
- a compression plate affixed to a base;
a support plate affixed to said base and spaced apart from said compression plate for positioning tissue to be imaged therebetween; and
means for shearing tissue operationally arranged relative to said plates such that said means for shearing tissue is capable of shearing tissue disposed therebetween plates without direct manipulation of said tissue.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved tissue imaging system is provided, in which tissue can be sheared without direct manual manipulation, so that different perspective images of the tissue can be determined, preferably in a single compression cycle. In one aspect of the invention, a traction system is provided, comprising at least a layer of a radiolucent material dimensioned and constructed such that the layer can pass between tissue and a surface of a tissue imaging device. The radiolucent material has sufficient tensile strength that the layer can slide without tearing against the surface of the tissue imaging device when tension is exerted on the layer, the sliding resulting in movement of the tissue relative to the surface of the tissue imaging device. A method of moving tissue relative to at least one surface of a tissue imaging device is also provided.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An improved tissue imaging device comprising:
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a compression plate affixed to a base; a support plate affixed to said base and spaced apart from said compression plate for positioning tissue to be imaged therebetween; and means for shearing tissue operationally arranged relative to said plates such that said means for shearing tissue is capable of shearing tissue disposed therebetween plates without direct manipulation of said tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An imaging device comprising:
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a compression plate and a support plate defining a compression/imaging space therebetween; at least one layer of radiolucent material dimensioned and constructed such that said at least one layer can pass between surfaces of either or both of said compression plate and said support plate and a tissue inserted within said compression/imaging space, said material having sufficient tensile strength that said at least one layer can slide without tearing against said surfaces when tension is exerted on said layer, and at least one puller capable of exerting tension on said at least one layer so as to slide said at least one layer against said surfaces such that said tissue moves relative to said surfaces so as to effect at least one of (a) pulling the tissue into the imaging device without substantially moving other portions of a patient'"'"'s body to which the tissue is attached, and (b) shearing of the tissue.
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6. A traction system for improved tissue imaging comprising:
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at least one layer of radiolucent material dimensioned and constructed such that said layer can pass between tissue disposed within a tissue imaging device and at least one surface of said tissue imaging device, said material having sufficient tensile strength that said at least one layer can slide without tearing against said at least one surface of said tissue imaging device when tension is exerted on said at least one layer, said sliding resulting in movement of at least a portion of said tissue relative to said at least one surface of said tissue imaging device; and at least one puller engaged with said at least one layer, said at least one puller for exerting tension on said at least one said layer, said traction system being arranged and constructed such that tension exerted by said at least one puller on said at least one layer results in sliding of said at least one layer against said at least one surface of said tissue imaging device such that said tissue moves relative to said surface of said tissue imaging device so as to effect at least one of (a) pulling the tissue into the imaging device without substantially moving other portions of a patient'"'"'s body to which the tissue is attached, and (b) shearing of the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of moving a tissue relative to at least one surface of a tissue imaging device comprising the steps of:
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positioning at least one layer of radiolucent material between at least one surface of said tissue and said at least one surface of said tissue imaging device, said radiolucent material being capable of movement relative to said at least one surface of said tissue imaging device; moving said at least one layer of radiolucent material relative to said at least one surface of said tissue imaging device such that at least a portion of said tissue also moves relative to said at least one surface of said tissue imaging device in the direction of motion of said at least one layer of radiolucent material so as to effect at least one of (a) pulling the tissue into the imaging device without substantially moving other portions of a patient'"'"'s body to which the tissue is attached, and (b) shearing of the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. An imaging detection system comprising:
a detector apparatus in operational engagement with at least one layer of radiolucent material, said at least one layer being dimensioned and constructed such that said layer can pass between tissue and a surface of said detector apparatus, said material having sufficient tensile strength that said layer can slide without tearing against said surface of said detector apparatus when tension is exerted on said layer, said sliding resulting in movement of at least a portion of said tissue relative to said surfaces of said detector apparatus, so as to effect at least one of (a) pulling the tissue into the imaging device without substantially moving other portions of a patient'"'"'s body to which the tissue is attached, and (b) shearing of the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of shearing tissue disposed between a compression plate and a support plate of a tissue imaging device comprising laterally translating either or both of said compression plate and said support plate relative to each other.
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21. A method of shearing tissue disposed between a compression plate and a support plate of a tissue imaging device comprising twisting either or both of said compression plate and said support plate relative to each other.
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22. A mammography device comprising:
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a compression plate and a support plate defining a compression/imaging space therebetween; at least one layer of radiolucent material dimensioned and constructed such that said at least one layer can pass between surfaces of either or both of said compression plate and said support plate and a breast inserted within said compression/imaging space, said material having sufficient tensile strength that said at least one layer can slide without tearing against said surfaces when tension is exerted on said layer, said sliding resulting in movement of said breast relative to said surfaces; and at least one puller capable of exerting tension on said at least one layer, said mammography device being arranged and constructed such that tension exerted by said at least one puller on said at least one layer results in sliding of said at least one layer against said surfaces such that said tissue moves relative to said surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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- 26. A compression element for a tissue imaging device comprising a compression plate in operational engagement with at least one layer of radiolucent material, said at least one layer being dimensioned and constructed such that said at least one layer can pass between tissue and a surface of said compression plate, said material having sufficient tensile strength that said layer can slide without tearing against said surface of said compression plate when tension is exerted on said layer, said sliding resulting in movement of said tissue relative to said surface of said compression plate.
- 29. A layer of radiolucent material dimensioned and constructed such that said layer can pass between tissue disposed within a tissue imaging device and a surface of said tissue imaging device, said material having sufficient tensile strength that said layer can slide without tearing against said surface of said tissue imaging device when tension is exerted on said layer, said sliding resulting in movement of at least a portion of said tissue relative to said surface of said tissue imaging device so as to effect at least one of (a) pulling the tissue into the imaging device without substantially moving other portions of a patient'"'"'s body to which the tissue is attached, and (b) shearing of the tissue.
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32. A mammography imaging device comprising:
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a compression plate and a support plate defining a compression/imaging space therebetween; at least one layer of radiolucent material dimensioned and constructed such that said at least one layer can pass between surfaces of either or both of said compression plate and said support plate and a breast inserted within said compression/imaging space, said material having sufficient tensile strength that said at least one layer can slide without tearing against said surfaces when tension is exerted on said layer, and at least one puller capable of exerting tension on said at least one layer so as to slide said at least one layer against said surfaces such that said breast moves relative to said surfaces so as to effect at least one of (a) pulling of the breast into the imaging device without substantially moving other portions of a patient'"'"'s body to which the tissue is attached, and (b) shearing of the breast.
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Specification