DEVICE AND METHOD FOR IMMOBILIZING PATIENTS FOR BREAST RADIATION THERAPY

• US 20140217634A1
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LOMA Linda University Medical Center (Mission Healthcare Services LLC)
• Original Assignee: LOMA Linda University Medical Center (Mission Healthcare Services LLC)
• Inventors: Bush, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,084,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/46.4
• CPC Class Codes: A41C 3/00 Brassieres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0435 with means for imaging suspended breasts
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1097 Means for immobilizing the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/10 X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam

Abstract

According to the improved systems and methods described herein, a patient may be immobilized so that one or both breasts are returned to a known position. Additionally, the improved systems and methods reduce respiratory movement of the breasts. Thus, the immobilization devices and techniques described herein provide accurate and reproducible breast positioning while simultaneously reducing respiratory motion.

Claims

1. A method of forming a support structure for immobilizing a patient in a prone position for delivery of radiation to at least one breast of the patient, the method comprising:

positioning a support brassiere on the patient, the support brassiere comprising a cup that is sized to engage a breast of the patient;

positioning the patient, who is wearing the support brassiere, in a prone position generally within a full-body support structure so that the cup of the support brassiere is suspended above an upward-facing surface of the full-body support structure;

with the patient positioned generally within the full-body support structure, introducing a malleable substance into a space between the upward-facing surface of the full-body support structure and the cup; and

hardening the malleable substance while it substantially occupies the space between the upward-facing surface of the full-body support structure and the cup so that the malleable substance becomes a substantially rigid breast immobilization device configured to be supported by the full-body support structure, the substantially rigid breast immobilization device also configured to support and immobilize the cup.