X-ray mammography and/or breast tomosynthesis using a compression paddle
Inventors
Stango, Timothy R. • Defreitas, Kenneth F. • Shaw, Ian • Stein, Jay • Jameson-Meehan, Lynne • Niklason, Loren
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12310766-B2
Publication Date
2025-05-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
An x-ray breast imaging system comprising a compression paddle in which the compression paddle comprises a front wall and a bottom wall. The front wall is configured to be adjacent and face a chest wall of a patient during imaging and the bottom wall configured to be adjacent a length of a top of a compressed breast. The bottom wall extends away from the patient's chest wall, wherein the bottom wall comprises a first portion and a second portion such that the second portion is between the front wall and the first portion. The first portion is generally non-coplanar to the second portion, wherein the compression paddle is movable along a craniocaudal axis. The x-ray breast imaging system also comprises a non-rigid jacket releasably secured to the compression paddle, the non-rigid jacket positioned between the compression paddle and the patient.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an injection molded compression paddle for an x-ray breast imaging system. The compression paddle includes a bottom wall extending between a pair of spaced apart side walls, a front wall extending upward from the bottom wall, and a rear wall extending upward from the bottom wall and opposite the front wall. The rear wall at least partially defines a bracket for coupling the compression paddle to the x-ray breast imaging system.
The bottom wall geometry includes a first portion and a second portion disposed between the front wall and the first portion and curved therebetween so that an outer surface of the second portion is convex in curvature extending between the front wall and the first portion. The first portion is disposed at a constant first distance below a top of the front wall, while the second portion is disposed at a second distance below the top of the front wall, with the second distance no greater than the first distance.
The invention further covers an x-ray breast imaging system that includes an x-ray source, an x-ray detector, and a breast support platform disposed between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector. The system uses the same injection molded compression paddle geometry having the convex curved second portion between the front wall and the first portion with the constrained relationship between the first distance and the second distance below the top of the front wall.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims, one directed to a compression paddle and one directed to an x-ray breast imaging system. Both independent claims share the main inventive geometry of an injection molded bottom wall with a first portion and a curved convex second portion, together with a specific vertical-distance relationship defining how far each portion is disposed below a top of the front wall.
Injection molded compression paddle with bottom wall bracketed by front and rear walls
An injection molded body including a bottom wall extending between a pair of spaced apart side walls, a front wall extending in an upward direction from the bottom wall, and a rear wall extending in the upward direction from the bottom wall and opposite the front wall, the rear wall at least partially defining a bracket for coupling the compression paddle to the x-ray breast imaging system.
Convex curved second portion between front wall and first portion
The bottom wall includes a first portion and a second portion disposed between the front wall and the first portion and curved therebetween such that an outer surface of the second portion is convex in curvature extending between the front wall and the first portion.
First and second portions positioned at constrained distances below the top of the front wall
The first portion is disposed at a constant first distance below a top of the front wall, while the second portion is disposed at a second distance below the top of the front wall, with the second distance no greater than the first distance.
X-ray breast imaging system using the injection molded compression paddle
An x-ray breast imaging system comprising an x-ray source, an x-ray detector, and a breast support platform disposed between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector, with a compression paddle having the injection molded body and the rear wall at least partially defining a bracket for coupling to the x-ray breast imaging system.
Claim coverage centers on an injection molded compression paddle whose bottom wall transitions from a first portion to a curved convex second portion extending between the front wall and the first portion, while enforcing that the second portion is disposed no greater than the first portion’s distance below the top of the front wall. The second independent claim applies the same paddle structure within an x-ray breast imaging system that includes an x-ray source, an x-ray detector, and a breast support platform between them.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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