Ultrasonic cellular tissue screening tool

• US 20030125623A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonocine, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonocine, Inc.
• Inventors: Kelly, Kevin M., Royce, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 7,445,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0825 for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/085 for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/406 using means for diagnosing suspended breasts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4209 by using holders, e.g. positioning frames
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4218 characterised by articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4245 involving determining the position of the probe, e.g. with respect to an external reference frame or to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 involving Doppler signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5223 for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/54 Control of the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors

Abstract

Ultrasonic scanning and diagnostics for cellular tissue are disclosed. An ultrasonic probe is moved across cellular tissue at a rate that is synchronized with the image capture rate of the ultrasonic scanner, to achieve a contiguous and complete set of scan images of the tissue. The probe can be held in a single position as it is moved across the tissue, or it can be dynamically adjusted during the scan to provide optimal contact with the scanned tissue. The image data are captured and converted to a format that is easily stored and compatible with a viewer. The viewer allows playback of the scanned images in a manner that is optimized for screening for cancers and other anomalies. A location function allows the user to select a point of interest on an individual scan image, and choose another known reference point, and the function calculates and provides the distance from the reference point to the point of interest in three dimensions.

The system can be used for virtually any tissue, but can also be optimized for breast cancer screening. A pad of different density may be placed over the nipple to provide a reference point that is visible in the scan images. The breast may be covered with a fabric that is constructed in such a manner to hold the breast in place and reduce ultrasonic scanning errors, as well as holding the pad in place. The location function described above will use the nipple pad as a reference point from which to measure any detected cancers or other anomalies.

Claims

1. A system to aid in ultrasound scanning of breast tissue, comprising

a fabric covering for the breast tissue, adapted to hold the breast tissue in place during scanning;

and

an ultrasonic coupling agent applied to the covering;

wherein the covering is capable of absorbing the coupling agent and conducting ultrasonic energy with minimal interference.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the covering is pre-impregnated with the ultrasonic coupling agent.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the covering provides a pattern that can be used by an optical movement sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the covering is constructed with one or more chain stitched seams.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pad to cover the nipple of the breast tissue, the pad being ultrasonically conductive and having different ultrasonic characteristics than breast tissue, said pad placed beneath the fabric covering and held in place by the fabric covering.

6. An aid for ultrasound breast scanning, comprising

a fabric covering for the breast tissue, adapted to hold the breast tissue in place during scanning, the covering being constructed with one or more chain stitched seams.

7. The aid of claim 6, further comprising a pad to cover the nipple of the breast tissue, the pad being ultrasonically conductive and having different ultrasonic characteristics than breast tissue, said pad placed beneath the fabric covering and held in place by the fabric covering.

8. An aid for ultrasound breast scanning, comprising

a pad placed over the nipple, said pad being ultrasonically conductive and having different ultrasonic characteristics than breast tissue, wherein the pad is disk-shaped, with its greatest thickness in the center of the disk, and tapered to an edge about the full periphery of the pad.

9. A system to aid in ultrasound scanning breast tissue, comprising

a fabric covering for the breast tissue, adapted to hold the breast tissue in place during scanning;

a pad placed over the nipple, said pad being ultrasonically conductive and having different ultrasonic characteristics than breast tissue, the fabric covering being positioned over the pad to hold the pad in place during scanning; and

an ultrasonic coupling agent applied to the covering;

wherein the covering is capable of absorbing the coupling agent and conducting ultrasonic energy with minimal interference.

10. A method to aid in the ultrasonic scanning of breast tissue comprising

using a fabric covering the breast tissue, adapted to hold the breast tissue in place during scanning;

and

using an ultrasonic coupling agent in conjunction with the fabric covering.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising

placing a pad over the nipple of the breast tissue and beneath the fabric covering, said pad being ultrasonically conductive and having different ultrasonic characteristics than breast tissue and said pad being held in place by the fabric covering;

and

moving an ultrasound probe atop the covering across the breast tissue during scanning, including traversing the periphery of the pad at least once.